^Hl 


/ 


Ike 

INDIAN  HISTORY  OF 
THE  MODOC  WAR 


audi  the  Causes  that 
led  to  it 


By  JEFF  C.  RIDDLE 

ii 

The  Son  of  Wi-ne-ma,  the  heroine 
of  the  Modoc  War. 


.87     V 


Copyright,  1914,  by  Jeff  C.  Riddle 
All  rights  reserved. 

Copyright  of  half  tones  and  engravings  from  photographs  or  draw- 
ings in  this  book  not  especially  copyrighted  by  others  are  protected  by 
copyright  notice,  by  D.  L.  Moses. 


TO  THE  PUBLIC 


In  writing  this  little  book  I  want  to  say,  I  did  what  1 
thought  was  my  duty.  I  have  read  so  many  different  works 
on  or  about  the  Modoc  war  of  1872  and  '73.  The  books  I 
read  were  so  disgusting,  I  must  say  that  the  authors  of 
some  of  the  books  certainly  were  never  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Lava  Beds.  They  must  have  dreamt  of  the  Modoc 
war. 

I  have  read  Capt.  William  T.  Drannan's  book,  "Thirty 
Years  on  the  Plains,"  where  he  wrote  about  the  Modoc 
warriors.  According  to  what  he  says,  he  captured  and 
killed  more  Modoc  warriors  than  Capt.  Jack  really  had 
when  he  commenced  fighting.  Jack  only  had  fifty-two 
warriors  in  all.  I  knew  every  one  of  them.  It  is  such  men 
as  Mr.  Drannan  who  mislead  the  public  in  regard  to  Indian 
wars.  Mr.  Drannan  certainly  was  not  anywhere  near  the 
Lava  Beds  at  the  time  of  the  Modoc  war  of  1872  and  '73,  as 
I  do  not  remember  meeting  him  at  that  time. 

In  my  work  I  aim  to  give  both  sides  of  the  troubles  of  the 
Modoc  Indians  and  the  whites.  The  Indian  side  has  never 
been  given  to  the  public  yet.  I  have  one  drawback :  I  have 
no  education,  but  I  have  tried  to  write  as  plain  as  I  could.  I 
use  no  fine  language  in  my  writing,  for  I  lack  education. 

Jeff  C.  Riddle.* 


*"This  boy  Char-ka,  meaning  in  English  The  Handsome  Boy,  Jeff  C. 
Riddle,  will  be  heard  from  sometime  in  the  future  in  behalf  of  his  moth- 
er's people."  This  statement  was  taken  from  page  71  of  the  book  entitled 
"Wi-ne-ma  and  Her  People,"  by  A.  B.  Meacham,  Hartford,  Conn.,  1876. 
A  prophecy  that  has  now  been  fulfilled  by  the  same  Jeff  C.  Riddle,  who 
has  now  written  the  only  Indian  history  of  the  Modoc  War. 


Ml88'76 


PREFACE 

Mr.  Riddle,  the  author  of  the  following  history  of  the 
Modoc  War,  has  included  in  his  text  all  that  need  be  said  by 
way  of  foreword  and  introduction.  He  is  himself  a  Modoc 
Indian,  the  son  of  the  chief  figure  in  that  struggle,  and  he 
was  an  eye  witness  of  most  of  the  events  that  he  describes. 
There  have  been  other  histories  of  the  Modoc  War  and  of 
some  of  these  the  author  gives  his  opinion — an  unflattering 
one.  Most  of  them  were  written  from  hearsay  and  natur- 
ally from  the  point  of  view  of  the  white  man.  Here  we  have 
the  point  of  view  of  the  Indian,  but  it  is  a  point  of  view  that 
is  consonant  with  accuracy  and  with  impartiality.  Mr. 
Riddle's  story  can  speak  for  itself. 

It  may  be  said  in  conclusion,  that  it  has  been  thought  ad- 
visable to  have  the  story  practically  as  it  came  from  the 
author's  pen.  Here  and  there  a  word  has  been  changed 
where  the  meaning  has  seemed  obscure,  and  an  occasional 
date  has  been  rectified,  but  with  these  exceptions,  there  has 
been  no  attempt  either  to  correct  the  form  or  to  embellish 
the  language. 

The  present  publication  of  Mr.  Riddle's  story  may  derive 
a  certain  opportuneness  from  the  fact  of  its  appearance  on 
the  forty-first  anniversary  of  a  racial  struggle  written  in 
red  upon  the  face  of  California  history,  and  upon  that  of 
Oregon  as  well. 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  I. 

Captain  Jack's  father  and  his  people  at  home  in  the  Tule  Lake  and  Lost 
River  Country. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Captain  Jack's  father  calls  Council. — Indians  all  attend. — Combutwaush 
attend  also. — Legugyakes  ready  to  move  against  the  white  people. — 
Modoc  Chief  lays  cause  on  the  Pitt  River  Indians. — Captain  Jack,  a 
small  boy  at  that  time,  says  good  words  for  the  white  emigrants. 

CHAPTER  III. 

Volunteers  from  Rogue  River,  Oregon,  make  a  trip  through  the  Modoc 
Country;  killing  done;  joined  by  Ben  Wright  and  his  men. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Captain  Jack  becomes  Chief  of  his  people. — John  Schonchin,  Sub-chief, 
loved  by  his  people. — No  trouble  with  the  whites. — Jack's  orders 
obeyed. — Jack  becomes  a  mighty  trapper. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Captain  Jack  and  John  Schonchin  hold  Council  with  their  people  after 
talk  with  John  Fairchild. — Jack  tells  the  men  not  to  offer  fight  if 
the  soldiers  come — "Depend  on  me,  my  people,  I  will  do  the  right 
thing— we  will  not  be  hurt." — The  shooting  between  Scar-Face  Char- 
ley and  Major  Boutelle. 

CHAPTER  VI 

Captain  Jack  and  his  people  all  arrive  safe  in  the  Lava  Beds. — Captain 
Jack  occupies  the  largest  cave,  known  nowadays  as  Captain  Jack's 
Stronghold. — Indians  all  live  in  different  caves. — They  make  prepara- 
tions for  war. 

CHAPTER  VII 

Colonel  A.  B.  Meacham  again  reappointed  Peace  Commisioner. — Rev. 
Thomas  and  General  E.  R.  S.  Canby  being  the  other  two  with  Frank 
Riddle  and  wife,  Tobey,  or  Wi-ne-ma,  Riddle,  as  government  inter- 
preters.— They  open  up  Peace  Councils  with  Captain  Jack,  John 
Schonchin  and  their  warriors. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  two  Chiefs  hold  Council  with  their  wariors  all  night,  after  the  last 
Council  with  the  Commissioners. — Jack  taunted  by  some  of  his  men, 
branded  as  a  coward  or  a  squaw. — Canby's  life  sealed,  also  Meach- 
am's  and  Thomas';  Dyar  and  Riddle  not  to  be  spared. 

8 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 
CHAPTER  IX 

Last  Council,  April  11,  1873.— Canby  and  Dr.  Thomas  killed.— Colonel 
Meacham  saved  by  Tobey  Riddle,  although  badly  wounded. — L.  S. 
Dyar  and  Frank  Riddle  also  make  their  escape. — Tobey  Riddle  struck 
down  by  Boncho,  a  Rock  Indian. 

CHAPTER  X 

Troops  advance  on  the  Modocs  April  14th. — Hard  battle  for  three  days. — 
Indians  show  good  marksmanship  first  three  days  of  fighting. — In- 
dians vacate  their  caves  the  night  of  April  18th,  1873. — April  2oth, 
Wright  and  his  company  move  on  the  Indians. — Troops  routed. 

CHAPTER  XI 

May  7th,  Captain  Jack  and  all  his  braves  go  south  about  four  miles. — 
Make  another  stand. — George,  Ellen's  man,  killed,  the  bravest  man 
among  the  Modocs. — His  death  causes  trouble  among  the  Indians. — 
The  Modocs  separate,  one  band  went  west  and  the  other  east. 

CHAPTER  XII 

Scar-Face  Charley,  Hooker  Jim,  Bogus  Charley  and  Shaknasty  Jim  hired 
as  Government  Scouts,  commence  running  to  earth  their  own  people. 
Armed  with  nice  carbines  and  riding  fine  grain  fed  horses,  wages 
$100.00  per  month. — Tliese  very  men  were  eager  to  fight  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Modoc  War. 

CHAPTER  XIII 

Colonel  Mason  gets  orders  to  trail  Captain  Jack  and  Schonchin  down. — 
Jack  and  his  followers  meet  Ha-kar-gar-ush  and  his  men  and  women 
near  Steele's  Swamp,  Calif. — Ha-kar-gar-ush  and  Captain  Jack  make 
their  camps  together,  north  of  Steele's  Swamp  a  short  distance. — 
General  Wheaton  with  a  company  of  cavalrymen  with  Scarface 
pharley  and  Bogus  Charley  as  scouts  takes  up  Captain  Jack's  trail 
near  Clear  Lake,  California,  and  follow  it  to  their  camp. — They  had  a 
sharp  running  fight  for  about  seven  miles. — Some  Indians  captured 
at  camp. — None  were  killed  on  either  side. 

CHAPTER  XIV 

Hooker  Jim  and  Shaknasty  Jim  overtook  General  Wheaton  and  his  men 
on  the  south  shores  of  Clear  Lake  and  told  them  that  they  saw  smoke 
north  of  Steele's  Swamp,  California. — Wheaton  dismounts  his  troops 
and  sends  Bogus  Charley  and  Scarface  Charley  to  locate  Jack  and 
Schonchin. — Jack  and  Schonchin  and  Ha-kar-gar-ush  found  by  the 
two  scouts. — Wheaton  follows  with  his  troops  and  other  two  scouts 
and  surprises  the  Indians  in  camp. — Captain  Jack  makes  his  escape, 
but  is  captured  the  next  day  near  the  head  of  Langells  Valley,  Oregon. 

9 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 
CHAPTER  XV. 

Colonel  Mason  sends  messenger  to  John  Fairchild's  Ranch,  California, 
stating  to  Jeff  C.  Davis,  who  was  in  command  at  that  place,  holding 
Black  Jim,  Curly  Headed  Doctor  and  some  sixty  or  seventy  other 
Modoc  prisoners,  that  he  had  Captain  Jack  and  John  Schonchin  and 
their  families  and  fdrty  or  fifty  other  prisoners. — Some  at  large  yet. — 
General  Jeff  C.  Davis  starts  with  his  prisoners  second  day  after  he 
learned  of  Captain  Jack's  capture,  arrives  safe  in  two  days'  travel  at 
Colonel  Mason's  headquarters,  on  the  peninsula,  Tule  Lake,  Califor- 
nia.— Six  wounded  Modoc  prisoners  shot  to  death  by  Oregon  Volun- 
teers. 

CHAPTER  XVI 

All  the  prisoners  moved  to  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon. — Curley  Haired  Jack 
kills  himself  the  first  night  they  camped  at  the  lower  gap  on  Lost 
River,  Oregon. — Soldiers  arrived  at  Fort  Klamath  on  the  third  day 
from  the  peninsula. — Captain  Jack,  Schonchin,  Black  Jim,  Boston 
Charley  and  Boncho  and  Slolux  on  trial  for  murder  in  July. — First 
four  condemned  and  sentenced  to  be  hung  October  3,  1873. 

CHAPTER  XVII 

Captain  Jack,  John  Schonchin,  Black  Jim  and  Boston  Charley,  hung  3rd 
day  of  October,  1873. — Boncho  and  Slolux,  or  Modoc  name  Elulk- 
saltako,  sent  to  penitentiary  in  California,  for  life. — The  rest  of  the 
prisoners  taken  to  Quapaw  Agency,  Indian  Territory.  Thus  the 
Modoc  War  ends. 


10 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

BIOGRAPHIES,  CORRESPONDENCE  AND 
OFFICIAL  DOCUMENTS 

Biography  of  Tobey,  Wi-ne-ma  Riddle Page  195 

Biography  of  Frank  Riddle  and  Son,  Jeff  C.  Riddle 210 

Biography  of  General  E.  R.  S.  Canby 217 

Biography  of  Rev.  E.  Thomas 223 

Biography  of  Leroy  S.  Dyar 228 

Biography  of  Judge  J.  A.  Fairchild 228 

Biography  of  Col.  A.  B.  Meacham 232 

Biography  of  Captain  O.  C.  Applegate 242 

Biography  of  Judge  E.  Steele 251 

Military  Biographies  and  Official  Correspondence 276 


11 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

George  and  Minerva  Riddle Page  14 

Sim  B.  Riddle 15 

Bidwell  Riddle Ig 

Captain  Jack 20 

John   Schonchin 28 

Hooker   Jim 32 

Capt.  O.  C.  Knapp 38 

Steamboat  Frank 43 

One-Eyed  Mose 48 

One-Eyed  Dixie 49 

The  Fairchild  Ranch 51 

Map  of  the  Lava  Beds,  showing  where  Peace  Commissioners  were 

killed 53 

Map  of  Lava  Beds,  showing  Capt.  Jack's  Cave 55 

Judge  A.  M.  Roseborough 59 

Tobey  and  Frank  Riddle's  Cave 62 

Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate,  Wi-ne-ma  and  four  Modoc  Squaws 68 

William  Faithfull 70 

Captain  Jack 74 

Gen.  Frank  Wheaton,  U.  S.  A 75 

The  Peace  Tent 82 

Map  of  the  Lava  Beds  and  Vicinity 89 

The  Killing  of  the  Peace  Commissioners 92 

U.  S.  Officers  in  the  Modoc  Stronghold 97 

Gen.  A.  C.  Gillem's  Camp 94 

Soldiers'  Quarters — continuation  of  preceding  page 95 

Eugene    Hovey 100 

Scar  Faced  Charley's  Wife  and  Son 104 

Gen.  A.  C.  Gillem  and  Officers  of  the  Modoc  Campaign 108 

Little  Ike,  or  Dave Ill 

Capolis,  Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Scout 112 

U.  S.  Soldiers  on  the  lookout  for  Modocs 113 

Joe  Sidwaller  bringing  in  the  Wounded 114 

The  S.  F.  "Bulletin"  Correspondent  on  the  Battlefield 117 

Capt.    Jack's    Stronghold 118 

Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scouts 119 

12 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

William,  Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scout 123 

Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scout 121 

Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scouts 122 

Capt.  George,  Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scout 120 

Curly   Headed   Doctor 127 

Ben    Lawver 139 

Schonchin's    Rock 142 

Shaknasty  Jim's  Camp 149 

A  Company  of  U.  S.  Soldiers  at  old  Fort  Klamath 147 

U.  S.  Soldiers  in  the  Lava  Beds 157 

Old  Chief  Schonchin 153 

Officers'  Quarters  at  old  Fort  Klamath 158 

George  Denny,  Slolux 185 

Old  Fort  Klamath,  present  day 160 

U.  S.  Indian  Agent's  (old)  building,  H-eadquarters  Quapaw  Agency...  188 

Peter  Schonchin  and  Family 190 

Long  Jim  and  Wife 191 

Johnny  Ball 192 

One-Eyed  Dixie 189 

Martha    Lawver 193 

Rev.  Steamboat  Frank,  Son,  and  Mrs.  Carrie  Hood  and  Sisters 208 

Wi-ne-ma 211 

Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scout 216 

Gen.  E.  R.  S.  Canby 217 

Gen.   Canby's   Cross 221 

Grave  of  Gen.  E.  R.  S.  Canby 220 

Panorama  of  the  Lava  Beds 222 

Dr.  E.  Thomas 223 

Plot  where  lie  the  remains  of  Rev.  E.  Thomas 225 

Hon.  Leroy  S.  Dyar 223 

Princess  Mary 241 

Captain  J.  A.  Fairchild 228 

Toplash,  a  Modoc  War  Survivor 231 

Col.  A.  B.  Meacham | 232 

Grave  of  Col.  A.  B.  Meacham 235 

U.  S.  Grant  (Modoc  Warrior)  and  grandchildren 250 

Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate 242 

Allen  David,  a  Klamath  Chief 245 

Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate  and  Klamath  Chiefs 261 

Jim  Winnishett 255 

Judge  E.  Steele 251 

U.  S.  Indian  Agent's  new  building  at  Quapaw  Agency...... 287 

Modoc  Prisoners'  Children  at  Quapaw  Agency  School 284-288 


13 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


George  Riddle,  Minerva  Riddle:  the  Author's  eldest  son 
and  daughter. 


14 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


^^^  /^^ ' 


Sim  B.  Riddle,  the  Author's  second  youngest  son. 


15 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


Bidwell  Riddle,  the  Author's  youngest  son. 


16 


CHAPTER  I. 

Captain  Jack's  father  and  his  people  at  home  in  the  Tule  Lake  and  Lost 
River  Country. 

Captain  Jack's  father  and  his  people  lived  quietly  on  the 
shores  of  a  beautiful  body  of  water  which  was  named  Wrett 
Lake,  or  Tule  Lake,  California,  by  the  white  people.  Jack 
and  their  followers  were  Modoc  Indians.  A  few  Rock  In- 
dians or  Combutwaush  lived  on  the  southeast  shores  of 
Tule  Lake. 

The  Modocs*  and  Combutwaush  people  lived  a  nice, 
peaceable  life.  They  hunted  the  deer,  antelope  and  bear 
on  the  hills  and  mountains  that  hemmed  in  Tule  Lake.  They 
shot  the  ducks  and  gees  with  their  bows  and  reed  arrows 
and  caught  fish  in  Lost  River.  The  women  gathered  roots, 
cammus  and  wocus  for  winter  use.  They  lived  in  peace  and 
harmony  with  all  the  tribes  that  joined  them  from  all  sides. 
The  other  tribes  were  the  Piute  Indians,  east ;  Pitts  Rivers, 
south;  Shastas,  west;  and  the  Klamath  Indians  on  the 
north. 

They  were  living  thus  until  the  white  people  began  to 
travel  through  their  country;  that  must  have  been  in  the 
year  1848  or  1849. 

Even  then  the  Modoc  people  lived  in  peace  for  some  time. 
On  seeing  the  first  emigrant  wagon,  with  the  people  of  a 
different  color  from  themselves,  they  all  ran  for  the  hills. 
They  thought  that  God  had  sent  Evil  Spirits  among  them 
to  punish  them  in  some  way.  But  they  soon  learned  that 
the  white  people  were  human,  so  they  became  friendly  to- 
ward the  emigrants.  Every  time  one  of  them  saw  a  train  of 
wagons  they  would  meet  them.  They  liked  the  white  man's 
bread,  coffee  and  other  eatables  that  the  emigrants  gave 
them.  It  went  on  thus  for  several  years. 

*Tule  Lake  country  is  called  Mowatoc  by  the  Indians,  so  the  Indians 
that  lived  in  that  part  of  the  country  were  called  Mowatocknie,  meaning 
people  from  the  Mowatoc  country. 

17 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Along  about  thayea^  1853,  the  Pit  River  Indians  waylaid 
and  killed  quite  a  number  of  emigrants,  both  men  and  wo- 
men, somewhere  near  the  place  where  Alturas,  California, 
stands  now.  Some  of  the  emigrants  made  their  escape  and 
reached  Yreka,  California,  and  gave  the  alarm.  The  miners 
made  up  a  posse  of  sixty-five  fighting  men  and  headed 
for  the  scene.  Jim  Crosby  was  chosen  captain  of  the  men. 
They  went  through  the  Modoc  Indian  country,  met  several 
bands  of  the  Modocs  and  had  no  trouble  with  them. 

The  company  went  out  to  the  scene  of  the  killing ;  buried 
all  the  murdered  they  could  find,  but  did  not  find  any  Pit 
River  Indians.  Although  the  company  rode  for  miles 
around  the  surrounding  country,  their  search  for  the  guil- 
ty tribe  was  in  vain,  so  they  started  on  their  return  trip 
to  Yreka,  California.  The  company  rode  all  day,  and  along 
towards  evening,  they  struck  camp  on  the  east  side  of  Tule 
Lake. 

Some  Modoc  Indians  visited  the  white  man's  camp  the 
same  as  usual.  The  white  people  had  treated  the  Modocs 
finely.  The  very  first  white  people  that  the  Modocs  had 
got  close  enough  to  had  given  clothes,  flour,  coffee,  tea, 
bacon  and  blankets  to  them,  so  they  liked  the  emigrants, 
for  they  had  been  treated  so  nicely  by  them.  They  were 
really  glad  when  there  were  emigrants  in  the  country.  That 
was  the  reason  the  parties  that  visited  Crosby's  company 
were  not  afraid. 

Captain  Crosby  gave  the  Indians  some  bread,  bacon, 
etc.  That  night  while  Captain  Crosby's  men  were  asleep 
there  were  about  twenty  Indians  lying  flat  down  on  their 
faces,  just  a  few  paces  from  the  lone  sentinel  or  guard 
that  was  walking  his  beat.  He  knew  the  Modoc  Indians 
were  friendly,  so  he  said  to  himself,  ''There  is  no  hostile 
Indian  in  twenty  miles  of  here;  I  guess  I'll  just  sit  down 
for  a  few  minutes;"  so  he  sat  down.  It  was  not  long  until 
he  was  fast  asleep,  so  the  twenty  Indians  wiggled  toward 
their  prey  like  snakes,  now  with  their  heads  up  and  again 
with  their  faces  close  to  the  ground.  The  white  boys  were 
dreaming  of  their  sweethearts  or  their  homes.  All  at  once 

18 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

their  dreams  were  cut  short.  When  they  awoke,  they  heard 
the  Indian  warwhoop  which  was  so  well  known  by  all  the 
old  frontiersmen.  The  most  of  the  white  boys  went  into  the 
lake.  Only  one  got  a  serious  wound.  Five  or  six  others  got 
hit  by  arrows.  Captain  Crosby  emptied  his  six-shooter;  he 
routed  the  Indians.  The  attacking  Indians  were  the  Pit 
Rivers.  They  followed  Crosby  and  his  company  and  at- 
tacked them  in  the  Modoc  country. 

Capt.  Crosby  and  his  men  left  their  camp  early  that 
morning.  They  had  not  gone  far  when  they  saw  a  few  Modoc 
men  and  squaws.  The  Indians  were  preparing  their  morn- 
ing meal.  Crosby  ordered  his  men  to  fire  on  the  Indians, 
which  they  did.  Only  three  Indians  made  their  escape  out 
of  fourteen.  That  was  the  first  Modoc  blood  spilt — by  white 
men.  The  ones  that  made  their  escape,  went  from  village 
to  village  and  spread  the  news  that  some  of  their  number 
had  been  killed  by  white  men,  not  in  war;  so  the  Indians 
vacated  their  camps.  Some  took  to  the  mountains,  others 
got  in  the  thick  tules,  so  they  escaped  Crosby's  men.  Cros- 
by traveled  clear  around  the  north  side  of  Tule  Lake  up 
Lost  River,  until  he  came  to  the  Natural  Bridge.  He  did 
not  see  any  Indians.  The  whites  crossed  the  Natural 
Bridge  and  headed  for  Hot  Creek,  known  now  as  Okla- 
homa, California. 

There  they  met  some  Hot  Creek  Modocs.  The  Indians 
were  friendly.  They  did  not  know  that  the  white  people 
were  seeking  their  lives.  Instead  of  trying  to  get  away, 
they  came  right  up  with  their  wives  and  children  and  said, 
*'How  do!"  The  answer  was  a  volley  from  the  white  man's 
deadly  guns.  Only  a  few  made  their  escape.  Several  wo- 
men and  children  were  murdered  in  cold  blood,  as  well  as 
men. 

Capt.  Crosby  and  his  men  reached  Yreka  the  next  day, 
after  he  had  killed  the  last-mentioned  Indians.  The  men 
had  quite  a  few  scalps  to  show  their  friends,  but  they  did 
not  say  that  some  of  the  scalps  they  carried  were  off  poor 
old  innocent  squaws  and  children.  The  citizens  of  Yreka 
gave  Capt.  Crosby  and  his  men  a  big  dinner  and  a  dance 

19 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

at  night,  in  honor  of  his  great  brave  deed  that  he  had  done. 
If  the  good  citizens  of  Yreka  had  known  the  actual  facts 
about  the  killing  of  the  Indians  by  Crosby  and  his  men, 
they  would  have  hooted  Crosby  and  his  men  out  of  town. 
Crosby  and  his  men  boasted  that  they  had  two  pitched 
battles  with  the  Indians;  that  they  were  outnumbered  in 
both  battles.  They  did  not  say  that  they  had  fired  on 
peaceable  Indian  families  and  secured  their  scalps.  It  was 
such  men  as  Crosby  in  the  early  days  that  caused  the 
deaths  of  many  good,  innocent-hearted  white  people  in  the 
West. 


^ 

"m^ 

■  •  J|k  1''  ■ 

^ 

■ 

7 

# 

%       ■ 

.^'            . 

1            o^:F»*3:'^xi>a- ,  j-.«9^o:i£.  ■   ■      | 

Kei-in-to-poses,  The  Modoc  Chief  of  Dark 
Color.  Taken  after  he  was  captured. 


20 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


CHAPTER  II. 


Captain  Jack's  father  calls  Council. — Indians  all  attend. — Combutwaush 
attend  also. — Legugyakes  ready  to  move  against  the  white  people. — 
Modoc  Chief  lays  cause  on  the  Pitt  River  Indians. — Captain  Jack,  a 
small  boy  at  that  time,  says  good  words  for  the  white  emigrants. 

This  Council  took  place  about  five  or  six  months  after 
the  Modoc  Indians  had  been  killed  by  Crosby's  men.  Cap—, 
tain  Jack's  father  in  his  opening  speech  said,  in  part:  ''My 
people,  we  was  born  in  this  country;  this  is  our  land.  God 
put  our  fathers  and  mothers  here.  We  have  lived  here  in 
peace.  Our  fathers  had  some  troubles  with  the  Pitt  River 
Indians  and  some  other  tribes.  We  always  beat  them.  Now, 
my  people,  I  see  we  cannot  get  along  with  the  white  peo- 
ple. They  come  along  and  kill  my  people  for  nothing.  Not 
only  my  men,  but  they  kill  our  wives  and  children.  I  did 
not  give  the  white  men  any  cause  to  commit  these  mur- 
ders. Now,  what  shall  I  do?  Shall  I  run  every  time  I  see 
white  people?  If  I  do  they  will  chase  us  from  valley  to 
mountain,  and  from  mountain  to  valley,  and  kill  us  all. 
They  will  hunt  us  like  we  hunt  the  deer  and  antelope.  Shall 
we  defend  our  wives  and  our  children  and  our  country? 
I  am  not  afraid  to  die.  If  I  die  in  war  against  the  white 
people,  I  will  die  for  a  good  cause.  Is  there  any  one  present 
that  can  say  I  am  lost,  or  is  there  any  one  here  that  can 
say  I  am  not  saying  what  my  heart  tells  me  to  say?"  \ 

After  he  said  his  last  words  he  stood  like  one  in  a  dream. 
Legugyakes*  got  up.  He  looked  at  every  face  before  he 
said  anything.  Finally  he  commenced  by  saying: 

"I  am  a  Combutwaush.  I  am  a  leader  of  my  people.  My 
people  are  only  a  handful.  I  have  listened  to  the  chosen 
words  of  the  Modoc  Chief.  He  predicts  the  truth ;  we  shall 
all  be  killed  in  time  by  the  white  men  if  we  run  every  time 
we  see  them.  I  am  not  going  to  run.  I  am  going  to  fight. 
I  will  get  some  of  them  before  they  get  me.  I  say,  fight! 
I  am  going  to  lead  my  men  to  the  first  white  man's  camp 
I  see.  I  will  see  what  they  will  do  when  they  see  their  wo- 
men and  children  killed,  lying  around  dead,  food  for  the 

*Legugyakes  was  the  name  of  one  of  the  chiefs  in  early  days. 

21 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

coyotes,  bugs,  ravens  and  buzzards.  My  heart  bleeds  to 
know  that  we  have  been  treated  bad  by  the  white  man.  If 
any  of  our  people  had  stolen  their  horses  or  killed  any  of 
their  people,  then  they  would  kill  some  of  us.  I  would  say 
that  they  are  wrong.  I  say,  as  a  leader  among  my  people,  I 
intend  to  kill  the  first  white  people  I  see.  There  is  no  one 
here  that  can  turn  my  mind.  I  am  going  to  do  what  I  say." 

When  he  finished  his  speech,  he  still  kept  his  position  by 
standing.  A  boy  got  up  and  made  his  way  towards  the  cen- 
ter of  the  group  of  Indians.  Perhaps  the  boy  was  fourteen 
years  old,  but  small  for  his  age.  After  reaching  the  place 
he  had  selected  to  stand,  he  folded  his  bare  arms  across  his 
breast,  and  stood  with  his  head  on  his  breast  for  some  time. 
Finally  he  raised  his  head  slowly,  cast  his  eyes  over  the 
people,  and  said: 

''Some  of  you  men  may  think  that  I  have  no  business  to 
say  anything  in  this  Council.  What  made  me  get  up  and 
come  forward  was  this :  I  heard  what  my  father  said  about 
our  troubles ;  I  also  heard  what  Legugyakes  said.  I  want  to 
say  that  both  of  our  leaders  are  wrong." 

Kind  reader,  this  boy  was  Captain  Jack.  He  was  a  sav- 
age, a  born  savage,  but  you  will  see  what  he  tried  to  get 
his  father  to  do  at  that  time,  and  you  will  see  also,  after 
he  took  his  father's  place  as  chief,  how  he  tried  to  get 
along  with  the  white  people.  The  boy  said  in  part : 

*1  am  a  Modoc;  I  am  not  afraid  to  die,  but  that  is  not  it. 
We  have  not  killed  any  white  people  yet,  so  let  us  not  kill 
any.  I  know  they  have  killed  some  of  our  people,  but  we 
cannot  blame  them.  The  white  men  that  killed  our  people 
was  attacked  by  Indians,  while  they  were  sleeping.  A  few 
of  them  got  hurt.  That  was  done  in  this  country.  These 
men  thought  the  Indians  that  attacked  them  was  Modocs. 
None  of  you  has  told  the  white  people  that  it  was  the  Pitt 
River  Indians  who  made  the  attack.  For  my  part  I  cannot 
blame  the  white  people  for  firing  on  our  people.  If  I  was  a 
man  today,  I  would  not  plot  against  white  people.  The  next 
white  people  that  comes  through  our  country  with  fam- 
ilies won't  be  responsible  for  the  act  of  the  white  men  that 

22 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

killed  our  people  many  moons  ago.  Why  should  we  kill  in- 
nocent women  and  children?  It  is  wrong  to  take  life  when 
not  in  war.  I  see  that  the  white  people  are  many.  If  we 
value  our  lives  or  love  our  country  we  must  not  fight  the 
white  man. 

*'Now  I  want  to  say  to  you,  Legugyakes,  if  you  kill  any 
white  people,  I  will  see  that  my  father  shall  not  help  you. 
My  word  I  will  make  good  if  I  am  a  boy." 

So  Jack's  father  came  forward  and  said,  *'My  people,  you 
have  heard  what  my  son  said.  You  all  know  that  he  is  noth- 
ing but  a  baby.  He  is  afraid  to  fight.  He  is  afraid  of  death, 
but  he  has  spoken  some  good  words.  I  think  I  see  in  him  a 
wise  man  and  a  good  leader  of  our  people  when  he  becomes 
a  man.  I  cannot  take  the  words  of  my  baby  son;  I  am  like 
Legugyakes.  I  shall  fight  for  my  country  that  God  gave 
me."  So  the  council  was  called  off  by  the  chiefs. 

One  day  an  Indian  was  out  hunting  far  from  his  village. 
He  looked  south.  He  shaded  his  eyes  with  his  hand  and 
looked  again.  He  said  to  himself,  "I  thought  I  could  not  be 
mistaken;  it  is  many  white  people  coming."  He  got  behind 
a  little  ridge  and  started  on  a  run  for  his  village.  He  re- 
ported to  Legugyakes  the  Combutwaush  leader,  what  he 
had  seen.  Legugyakes  said,  'Tonight,  when  the  stars  are 
dim,  will  be  our  time." 

Meanwhile  a  train  of  wagons  was  making  its  way 
through  the  eastern  part  of  the  famous  Lava  Beds  where 
the  Modoc  Indians  made  their  last  stand  in  the  year  1873. 
The  jaded  oxen  and  tired  horses  of  the  emigrants  were 
lugging  the  heavy  wagons,  with  their  high  bows  and  white 
canvas  tops.  The  train  looked  like  a  huge  snake  wiggling  its 
way  through  that  part  of  the  Lava  Beds.  Some  of  the  men 
were  walking.  The  women  and  children  were  riding  and 
happy.  The  men  saw  some  Indian  tracks,  but  thought  noth- 
ing of  it.  The  men  were  anxious  to  get  over  the  next  little 
raise.  When  the  first  man  on  horse-back  rode  over  the  raise, 
he  waved  his  hat  in  the  air,  turned  his  horse  and  galloped 
back,  met  the  wagons  and  told  them  that  he  had  just  seen 
a  big  lake. 

23 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

The  train  moved  forward  and  in  a  few  minutes  they 
called  a  halt  on  the  east  shore  of  Tule  Lake.  After  they  had 
been  there  a  few  minutes  they  pushed  on,  as  the  grass  was 
not  plentiful  where  they  stopped.  The  train  moved  on  until 
towards  evening,  and  found  a  nice  camp  ground.  This  place 
is  two  miles  south  of  the  California  and  Oregon  boundary 
line.  The  emigrants  turned  their  horses  and  cattle  loose  to 
graze.  They  gathered  dry  sage-brush  and  built  their  camp- 
fire  to  prepare  their  evening  meal,  not  knovving  that  most 
of  them  would  never  prepare  another  meal.  Poor,  innocent 
travelers;  they  were  all  happy,  for  they  knew  they  would 
soon  reach  civilization  again,  for  after  they  consulted  their 
maps  they  knew  they  were  on  the  shores  of  Wrett  Lake, 
California.  About  one  mile  northeast  of  the  emigrant  camp 
was  a  small  hill  covered  with  black  sage-brush  and  juniper 
trees.  On  that  hill  Legugyakes  and  his  men  were  laughing 
and  talking;  joyful,  for  the  prospects  before  them  was  an 
easy  victory. 

One  runner  had  been  sent  to  notify  Capt.  Jack's  father 
that  many  white  people  had  stopped  at  Wa-ga-kan-na,  this 
being  the  name  of  the  place  that  the  emigrants  had  camped 
at.  (Wa-ga-kan-na  means,  at  the  little  canyon,  in  the  Modoc 
language.)  Jack's  father  called  his  men  together  and  told 
them  that  many  white  people  were  camped  at  Wa-ga-kan- 
na,  that  Legugyakes  and  his  men  were  going  to  attack 
them.  He  was  going  to  help  kill  the  white  people  that  killed 
his  people.  Capt.  Jack  and  some  other  boys  were  out  from 
the  camp  playing.  He  saw  the  people  astir  in  camp,  so  he  ran 
to  his  father's  lodge  and  asked  his  father  what  was  the 
matter.  His  father  told  him.  The  boy  caught  his  father 
and  told  him  not  to  go.  He  cried  and  begged  for  him  not 
to  join  Legugyakes.  ''Let  him  do  the  dark  deed,  father," 
he  says,  ''it's  a  coward's  work  to  sneak  up  on  any  one  and 
take  his  life." 

"Father,"  he  pleads,  "it  is  bad  enough  to  kill  in  battle. 
Do  not  lead  your  men  to  kill  or  help  kill  them  poor  people. 
They  do  not  expect  trouble.  If  you  do  help  kill  them  white 
people,  do  you  know,  father,  that  you  will  be  guilty  of  kill- 

24 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

ing  your  own  wife  and  your  son  and  many  of  our  own  peo- 
ple. The  white  men  will  come  here  with  more  people  than 
you  have  got,  and  kill  us  all." 

The  old  man  was  headstrong;  he  called  in  his  men;  he 
told  them  to  go  with  him  one  and  all.  "Do  not  listen  to 
what  my  boy  says;  he  is  young;  he  cannot  lead  me."  The 
bay  raised  to  his  full  height,  faced  his  father  and  his  men, 
and  said,  "Men,  do  not  listen  to  my  destructive  father;  he 
seeks  the  lives  of  all  of  us.  If  you  do  what  he  wants  you  to 
do;  that  is,  kill  innocent  people,  we  are  all  doomed,"  The 
wise  boy  touched  the  hearts  of  tne  braves  and  only  a  few 
followed  their  chief. 

Jack's  father  and  Legugyakes  met  on  the  little  hill  and 
there  sealed  the  lives  of  the  poor  emigrants.  After  supper 
the  white  people  in  camp  sat  around  their  campfires  and,  I 
suppose,  talked  about  the  new  country  they  were  going  to 
and  about  their  homes  that  they  had  left  behind,  little  sus- 
pecting at  that  time,  that  there  was  a  strong  body  of  half 
naked  savages  watching  their  campfires,  and  wishing  it 
was  near  daylight.  The  white  men  dropped  off  one  by  one 
to  their  beds  to  dream  about  their  new  homes  they  intended 
to  build  for  their  families.  The  fires  went  out  one  by  one. 
At  last  the  last  fire  died  out,  which  the  Indians  noticed 
with  glee.  The  emigrants  had  no  guard  out.  They  all  slept 
the  sound  sleep  of  death. 

About  midnight  some  of  the  emigrants'  horses  got  scared 
and  snorted.  None  of  the  whites  took  any  notice  of  it.  The 
Indians  were  just  a  short  distance  from  their  sleeping  vic- 
tims. The  dawn  of  daylight  found  the  Indians  within  strik- 
ing distance.  They  whispered  to  one  another  to  lay  down 
when  it  got  good  and  light.  One  or  two  whites  were  up. 
They  had  just  started  the  fires  to  burning  good.  All  at 
once  about  fifteen  Indians  jumped  at  the  white  men  howl- 
ing like  wolves. 

The  two  men  were  struck  down  before  they  realized  what 
was  the  matter.  Nearly  half  of  the  white  people  were  killed 
or  wounded  before  they  offered  battle.  Some  of  them  were 
half  asleep  when  they  were  shot  with  poisoned  arrows.  At 

25 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

last  the  emigrants  rallied.  They  got  their  guns  and  com- 
menced shooting.  The  Indians  retreated,  leaving  their  dead 
behind.  The  white  man's  aim  was  good.  After  the  Indians 
retreated  to  a  safe  distance,  they  got  together  and  held  a 
council  of  war.  They  decided  to  send  two  runners,  one  south, 
and  the  other  north  for  help.  Sometime  in  the  afternoon  the 
runners  got  back  to  their  comrades  with  more  bloodthirsty 
savages. 

Men  and  women  were  all  astir  at  the  emigrant  camp, 
caring  for  the  wounded,  digging  trenches,  etc.  The  Indians 
renewed  their  attack  about  midnight,  but  were  put  to 
rout  by  the  whites.  Their  aim  was  deadly.  Soon  as  dark- 
ness was  at  hand  the  Indians  commenced  on  the  heart- 
stricken  emigrants  again.  The  white  man's  guns  did  not 
do  any  damage.  All  their  shooting  was  guess-work.  A  few 
of  the  emigrants  made  their  escape  on  horse-back  in  the 
fore  part  of  the  night.  After  midnight  the  rest  of  them 
made  their  escape.  The  first  ones  made  their  way  towards 
Yreka,  California;  the  others  went  towards  Ashland,  Ore- 
gon. 

The  Indians  charged  the  emigrant  camp  next  morning 
at  the  break  of  day,  but  were  surprised  to  find  that  their 
intended  victims  had  got  away.  Some  of  them  said  that 
none  had  escaped;  that  they  were  all  dead.  When  it  got 
good  and  light  some  of  them  found  the  tracks  of  the  flee- 
ing victims.  None  of  them  took  up  the  trail ;  they  were  too 
eager  to  loot.  One  Indian  found  a  little  girl  ten  or  twelve 
years  of  age.  He  took  her  and  said,  *1  will  take  this  girl 
and  care  for  her;  some  day  she  can  get  among  her  kind 
of  people;  I  will  give  her  a  chance.  Now  I  ask  a  favor  of 
all  you  men:  Do  not  kill  her."  They  all  promised  him  that 
the  girl  would  not  be  harmed.  They  divided  everything 
among  themselves;  they  set  fire  to  the  wagons  and  burnt 
them.  They  left  the  dead  white  people  lay  where  they  had 
fallen.  They  all  took  to  the  mountains;  some  going  north, 
some  south,  others  east. 

The  party  that  went  north  took  the  white  girl  along. 
After  the  party  had  gone  about  three  miles  the  Indians 

26 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

got  into  a  fight  among  themselves.  During  the  mix-up  the 
white  girl  was  killed  accidentally.  She  was  left  under  a  big 
juniper  tree.  Two  days  after  the  massacre  there  was  a  few 
Indians  on  the  big  mountain  that  stands  north  of  the  outlet 
of  Lost  River,  watching  a  heavy  dust  that  was  raising  up 
like  a  mighty  cloud.  The  dust  settled  and  it  began  to  raise 
heavier  than  ever,  right  close  to  the  Natural  Bridge,  near 
where  now  stands  the  beautiful  town,  Merrill,  Oregon. 

The  cause  of  the  dust  was  a  strong  body  of  hardy  white 
men  from  Yreka,  California.  Some  of  the  escaped  emigrants 
had  reached  Yreka  and  given  the  news  of  the  awful  massa- 
cre. The  citizens  took  to  arms  and  were  ready  to  start  for 
the  scene  in  less  time  than  it  would  take  a  man  to  walk  two 
miles.  The  writer's  father,  Frank  Riddle,  was  one  of  the 
men  in  this  company.  If  my  memory  serves  me  right,  it 
was  in  the  year  1851.  The  captain  of  the  men  was  from 
Ohio.  His  name  was  Al  Woodruff.  Woodruff  halted  his 
men  on  the  north  side  of  Lost  River,  dismounted  them,  and 
they  had  a  few  crackers  and  some  dried  meat  to  eat.  Some 
of  them  filled  their  pipes  and  began  to  smoke.  Woodruff 
and  Riddle  were  standing  on  some  rocks  about  the  middle 
of  the  river  and  were  in  earnest  conversation  for  some 
time.  Finally  they  both  came  ashore  by  stepping  from  rock 
to  rock.  Woodruff  instructed  his  men  that  if  they  saw  any 
Indians,  not  to  fire  on  them  until  he  ordered  them  to.  He 
said,  'There  are  some  Indians  around  hereabouts  that  are 
peaceable.  We  do  not  want  to  kill  any  one  that  does  not 
need  killing,  white  or  black.  I  know  that  all  the  Indians  that 
lives  hereabouts  did  not  take  a  hand  in  this  massacre.  If 
they  did,  there  would  not  have  been  one  white  person  left 
to  tell  the  yarn."  The  men  answered  by  saying,  "You  are 
the  Doctor,  Captain."  Before  the  men  mounted  to  go,  two 
Indian  men  and  their  wives  came  right  up  to  the  white 
men.  By  signs,  they  let  the  white  men  know  that  they  had 
been  up  on  Klamath  Lake  for  nearly  one  moon.*  They  knew 
nothing  of  the  massacre. 

*"Moons"  means  month. 

27 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


Woodruff  moved  on  to- 
wards the  scene  of  the 
murder  at  a  lively  gait. 
When  they  reached  Wa- 
ga-kan-na  they  dismoun- 
ted. The  scene  before 
their  eyes  was  heart- 
breaking. Every  man 
took  his  hat  off.  The  men 
stood  with  their  heads 
down.  When  Woodruff 
spoke  the  men  raised 
their  heads  up,  and  ev- 
ery eye  was  wet.  Some 
of  the  men's  bodies 
shook  with  grief.  They 
gathered  the  dead  and 
laid  them  side  by  side  in 
the  trench,  and  covered 
them  up,  the  best  they 

could    do   under   the    cir-  tjohn  Schonchin,  Modoc  Sub-Chief.  Indian 

CUmstanceS.    They    went  name  Skonches,  meaning  stick-out-head. 

'^.,  _  Photo  by  Heller,  taken  after  he  was  cap- 

north  perhaps  a  mile  and  tured.     From  the  collection  of  Mr.  John 

Stayed  over  night.  They  Daggett. 

were  not  disturbed  during  the  night.  The  company  took  up 
the  Indian  trail  the  following  morning  and  had  not  gone 
far  when  they  found  a  little  white  girl  dead  under  a  juniper 
tree.  Frank  Riddle  took  his  gray  double  blanket  and 
wrapped  it  around  the  poor  little  girl's  remains.  He  and 
some  of  the  other  boys  dug  a  shallow  hole  under  the  tree 
and  covered  her  over  the  best  they  could. 

The  company  left  the  trail  at  this  place,  and  started  off 
west,  reached  little  Klamath  Lake  that  evening,  camped 
over  night,  was  on  the  road  bright  and  early  next  morning, 
and  met  two  or  three  bands  of  Hot  Creek  Indians.  The  In- 
dians took  to  the  rock  and  brush.  Woodruff  went  on  like 
he  did  not  see  them,  and  reached  Yreka,  California,  the 
following  day. 


28 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


CHAPTER  III. 

Volunteers  from  Rogue  River,  Oregon,  make  a  trip  through  the  Modoc 
Country;  kilHng  done;  joined  by  Ben  Wright  and  his  men. 

The  Modoc  people  were  driven  from  place  to  place,  after 
they  left  the  mountains,  and  went  back  to  Tule  Lake.  After 
they  massacred  the  emigrants  at  Wa-ga-kan-na,  they  went 
to  the  mountains,  and  lived  there  for  nearly  two  years. 
They  were  the  guilty  parties.  The  Modocs  that  did  not 
take  a  hand  in  the  massacre  continued  to  live  in  the  val- 
leys. The  chief  among  them  was  Schonchin's  father. 

The  white  named  the  place  where  the  massacre  took  place, 
Bloody  Point.  The  massacre  at  Bloody  Point  did  not  stop 
the  emigrants  from  coming  through  the  Modoc  country. 
Every  little  while  there  would  be  an  Indian  killed.  It  went 
on  thus  for  some  time.  No  more  whites  were  killed  in  the 
Modoc  country;  some  emigrants  being  killed  out  in  the 
Pitt  River  country  right  along. 

About  the  year  1856,  month  of  June,  about  thirty-five 
men  started  for  Tule  Lake  from  Rogue  River,  Oregon.  They 
came  out  to  Keno,  Oregon,  and  turned  and  went  down  the 
Klamath  River  and  on  to  Yreka,  California.  When  they  got 
to  Yreka  they  stated  they  were  hunting  Indians.  There  was 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Ben  Wright  who  told  them  he  would 
like  to  hunt  Indians.  The  Oregon  volunteers  invited  Wright 
to  join  them  and  go  along ;  so  Wright  got  some  men  that 
liked  to  hunt  Indians  to  go  with  him.  When  they  all  got 
together  they  numbered  over  one  hundred  men.  They  all 
left  Yreka  some  time  in  July  to  hunt  down  the  Modoc  In- 
dians. They  found  some  Hot  Creek  Indians,  jumped  onto 
them  and  killed  a  few.  Wright  was  the  chosen  captain  of 
the  company.  Wright  traveled  all  through  the  Klamath  In- 
dian country,  killing  Klamath  Indians  wherever  he  could 
find  them.  He  went  through  Goose  Lake  country,  killed 
Paiute  Indians  wherever  he  got  a  chance.  He  came  down 
Spragues  River,  Oregon,  and  killed  a  few  Indians  some 

29 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

place  near  where  the  Openchain  ranch*  is  now.  In  the  fall 
he  went  to  Tule  Lake  and  found  some  Indians.  He  did  not 
attack  them.  He  found  one  that  could  speak  a  little  white 
man  talk.  He  told  that  Indian  that  he  was  the  Indians' 
friend.  He  or  his  men  did  not  want  to  hurt  any  of  them. 
He  said  he  was  a  peace-maker.  Said  the  Great  Father  had 
sent  him  to  the  Modoc  country  to  make  peace  with  the  In- 
dians. He  told  them  that  he  would  go  away  tomorrow  to 
get  some  things  for  the  Indians  to  eat  and  then  they  would 
have  a  big  talk.  Ben  Wright  and  his  men  made  his  word 
good  with  the  Indians.  They  all  left  the  following  day. 

The  Indian  that  had  the  talk  with  Wright  spread  the 
news  among  the  Modocs  and  Rock  Indians  or  Combutwaush 
that  he  had  at  last  found  a  good  friend.  A  white  man  with 
many  men  had  told  him  he  would  be  back  in  three  or  four 
days  with  plenty  to  eat  for  the  Indians  while  they  talked 
to  make  peace.  The  word  went  from  village  to  village  of 
the  big  feast  and  intended  council.  Three  days  after  Wright 
and  his  men  left  the  Natural  Bridge,  forty-five  men  and 
a  few  squaws  was  camped  near  the  Natural  Bridge  waiting 
Wright's  return.  They  were  anxious  to  be  friends  with  the 
white  people,  and  the  prospects  were  good  for  a  big  feast 
On  the  fifth  day  from  the  day  Wright  had  left,  he  and  his 
men  returned;  all  seemed  to  be  very  friendly  with  the  In- 
dians. They  dismounted  a  short  distance  from  the  Indian 
camp.  While  Wright's  men  were  busy  pitching  tents  Wright 
walked  over  to  the  Indian  camp.  He  told  them  he  would  like 
all  the  Indians  to  move  over  near  his  camp.  Said  it  would 
be  much  better  when  they  would  hold  their  council  the 
next  day,  for  if  it  kept  raining  they  would  be  unable  to 
hold  an  open  council.  "We  will  have  to  get  in  my  biggest 
tent;  we  will  keep  dry."  The  Indians  agreed  to  his  wishes. 
Wright  located  the  camp  site  for  them.  He  encamped  them 
right  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  the  river  made  a 
quick  bend.  Wright's  camp  was  right  back  of  the  Indian's 
camp.  They  had  the  Indians  hemmed  in  next  to  the  river. 

*  Near  Bly,  Oregon. 

30 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

The  Natural  Bridge  was  about  half  a  mile  southeast  of 
this  camp. 

Wright  gave  the  ndians  a  whole  beef  and  flour  and  other 
foodstuffs.  The  Indians  were  very  happy.  That  evening 
they  pulled  sage-brush  and  built  wind-breaks  and  got  tules 
and  built  shelters.  The  Indians  and  whites  were  having  a 
jolly  time  that  night,  until  near  the  midnight  hour.  After 
midnight,  everything  was  quiet.  The  whole  camp  was  in 
slumber.  The  Indians  little  thought  that  that  evening 
would  be  the  last  they  would  enjoy  on  this  earth ;  their  talk 
was,  they  were  all  glad  that  they  had  found  a  friend.  Capt. 
Jack's  father  said  he  was  tired  of  dodging  the  whites.  He 
seen  a  great  future  for  his  son  and  their  people. 

Long  before  daylight,  if  any  of  the  Indians  had  been  on 
guard  they  could  have  seen  Ben  Wright's  men  all  up  and 
looking  after  their  arms.  They  could  have  seen  men  making 
their  way  down  the  river  toward  the  Natural  Bridge,  care- 
fully picking  their  way  through  the  tall  sage-brush.  A  few 
minutes  after  these  men  had  left  their  tents,  about  forty 
in  number,  the  Indians  could  have  seen  these  same  men  on 
the  north  bank  of  Lost  River,  opposite  their  own  camp, 
fingering  the  triggers  of  their  muskets,  assured  by  their 
Captain  Wright,  that  they  would  have  a  fine  morning's 
sport. 

On  the  south  bank  of  Lost  River,  where  the  two  camps 
were,  the  rest  of  Wright's  men  were  laying  low  behind  their 
own  tents,  anxiously  awaiting  the  brightness  of  morning  to 
come.  The  sky  begins  to  fade  in  the  east,  it  gets  quite  light. 
Ben  Wright  looks  along  his  gun  barrel;  he  turns  slowly 
around  to  his  men  and  says,  "It  is  not  light  enough;  we  will 
wait  until  it  is  good  and  light.  I  want  to  get  every  mother's 
son  of  them  Injuns.  Boys,  don't  spare  the  squaws ;  get  them 
all." 

The  birds  began  to  sing.  Capt.  Jack's  father  raises  his 
head;  he  tells  his  squaw  it  is  day.  ''Let's  get  up,"  he  says; 
"it  is  raining.  I  wonder  why  the  white  people  are  not  up?" 
The  Indians  begin  to  show  signs  of  life.  Capt.  Jack's  father 
was  the  first  one  up.  He  looked  to  his  bow  and  quiver.  It 

31 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


is  still  unstrung.  All  the  rest  of  the  Indians  had  unstrung 
^their  bows,  because  it  was  raining  when  they  retired.  Capt. 
Jack's  father  went  to- 
wards  his  white  friends' 
camp,  looking  for  dry 
twigs  to  start  a  fire. 
When  he  got  even  with 
the  tents,  he  met  Wright 
face  to  face.  Wright  drew 
his  revolver  and  shot  the 
Indian  dead,  and  he 
yelled;  told  his  men  to  be 
up  and  at  them.  The  In- 
dians all  jumped  to  their 
feet,  got  their  bows  and 
offered  fight,  but  could 
not  do  anything.  The 
whites  shot  them  down  so 
fast  on  the  south  bank, 
they  jumped  in  the  river, 
thinking  if  they  could 
make  the  opposite  bank 
they  could  possibly  make 
their  escape.  When  they 


Died  at  Quapaw  Agency,  I.  T. 
(Oklahoma),  1879. 


got  about  half  way  across,  the  whites  on  the  north  bank 
opened  fire  on  them .  Only  five  escaped ;  every  one  of  them 
wounded ;  quite  a  few  squaws  were  killed.  Not  a  man  on  the 
white  side  was  hurt. 

After  the  Indias  had  been  butchered,  Wright  ordered 
the  camp  to  hustle.  It  was  not  long  till  the  Wright  men 
were  all  traveling  towards  Yreka,  California,  with  all  kinds 
of  Indian  scalps  dangling  from  their  shot  pouches.  The 
second  night  after  Wright's  arrival  at  Yreka,  the  citizens 
gave  Wright  and  his  men  a  big  dance.  He  was  the  lion  of 
the  day,  and  proclaimed  the  mighty  Indian  Hunter,  Savage 
Civilizer,  Peace-Maker,  etc. 


32 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Captain  Jack  becomes  Chief  of  his  people. — John  Schonchin,*  Sub-Chief, 
loved  by  his  people. — No  trouble  with  the  whites. — Jack's  orders 
obeyed. — Jack  becomes  a  mighty  trapper. 

Capt.  Jack,  though  young  and  inexperienced  as  a  leader, 
called  a  council.  Told  his  people  that  through  him,  they,  his 
people,  would  never  be  lead  in  a  trap  and  killed.  "Now,  we 
will  go  and  see  about  our  killed  relatives,"  The  second  day 
after  the  Wright  massacre,  Jack's  men  and  women  were  at 
the  scene  of  the  massacre.  They  gathered  all  they  could  find 
and  cremated  them.  They  only  recovered  about  half  of  the 
killed;  the  rest  had  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  river.  Jack 
kept  watch  along  the  river  for  months  and  recovered  a  few 
more  of  the  dead. 

Jack  and  his  people  dodged  the  white  people  for  about 
two  years.  He  never  offered  to  kill  any  white  people.  He 
told  his  men  that  he  wanted  the  white  man  as  a  friend,  not 
as  an  enemy.  Jack  goes  to  Yreka,  taking  some  of  his  men 
with  him.  He  finds  a  man  in  Yreka  that  tells  him  he  will 
be  his  friend  and  help  him  and  his  people.  This  man  was 
Judge  of  Siskiyou  County,  California  (Judge  Rosebor- 
ough.)  He  proved  to  be  a  true  friend  to  Jack  afterwards. 

Jack  returned  to  his  home  on  Lost  River, t  Oregon,  in  a 
few  days,  and  told  his  followers  that  he  and  his  men  were 
well  treated  in  Yreka,  and  had  been  assured  by  Rosebor- 
ough  (Big  Chief,  he  called  him)  that  he  would  be  a  friend 
to  the  Modocs.  He  told  them,  "1  know  he  meant  what  he 
said;  we  will  live  in  peace  from  now  on.  I  will  go  and  see 
Roseborough  again  soon;  I  want  to  find  some  more  men 
like  Roseborough." 

In  a  short  time  he  made  another  trip  to  Yreka.  He  was 
welcomed  by  the  whites  at  Yreka.  He  stayed  in  town  five 
or  six  days.  Jack  got  acquainted  with  several  leading  men 

*Spelled  in  Modoc  as  Skonches,  meaning  to  go  with  head  down  or 
forward. 

121/^  miles  southeast  of  the  present  town  of  Merrill,  'Oregon. 

33 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

of  Yreka,  among  them  John  Fairchilds,  E.  Steele,  Pres. 
Dorris  and  others.  These  men  told  Jack  to  live  in  peace 
in  his  country  and  he  and  his  people  would  not  be  both- 
ered. Jack  was  a  happy  man  when  he  and  his  men  left 
Yreka.  Jack  traded  a  pony  for  a  lot  of  steel  traps  and  it 
was  not  long  until  he  was  a  very  good  trapper.  His  people 
went  to  Yreka  every  few  days.  Afeter  Jack's  second  trip 
to  Yreka,  along  about  the  year  1859,  the  whites  began  to 
settle  in  Capt.  Jack's  country.  Jack  and  his  people  lived 
near  the  Natural  Bridge,  on  Lost  River,  on  both  sides  of 
the  river.  They  welcomed  the  settlers.  They  got  along  fine, 
the  settlers  gave  the  Indians  work,  making  juniper  posts 
and  rails,  etc.  Among  the  first  settlers  were  Abe  Ball, 
Brotherington  Miller,  Boddys,  George  Nurse,  Caldwell, 
Bibus  and  Overtons.  The  most  of  these  people  settled  on 
the  north  side  of  Tule  Lake,  from  Frank  Adams'  horse 
ranch:!:  around  the  lake  east.  They  all  had  horses  and  cat- 
tle. The  Indians  never  bothered  the  settlers  and  were  not 
bothered  in  return. 

Abe  Ball  had  a  cabin  near  where  the  Clint  Vanbrimer 
ranch  is  now.  Ball  and  one  Indian  named  Skukum  Horse 
were  chums.  Skukum  Horse  would  go  and  stay  over  night 
with  Ball  any  time  he  felt  like  it.  Ball  always  was  glad  to 
have  him  around.  One  evening  Skukum  Horse  went  to  Ball's, 
tied  his  pony  and  gave  him  hay  the  same  as  usual,  and 
went  to  the  cabin  and  knocked.  Ball  opened  the  door,  but 
refused  to  admit  the  Indian.  They  had  some  hot  words. 
Ball  sent  Skukum  Horse  away  from  his  cabin  door  on  a 
trot  by  the  point  of  a  gun.  Ball  had  a  visitor  that  evening. 
He  did  not  want  Skukum  Horse  to  see  who  his  visitor  was. 
The  visitor  happened  to  be  one  of  the  Modoc's  opposite  sex. 
Ball  and  Skukum  horse  met  in  a  few  days  after  they  had 
the  hot  words.  Ball  wanted  to  explain  things  to  his  Indian 
friend.  The  Indian  told  him  he  could  have  told  him  who 
was  with  him  that  evening  without  getting  so  mad  or 
threatening  to  shoot.  One  word  brought  on  another.  They 
had  another  falling  out.  They  became  hated  enemies  as  the 

JThis  ranch  is  near  the  town  of  Merrill,  Oregon. 

34 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

time  rolled  by.  Ball  and  Skukum  Horse  never  showed 
friendship  towards  one  another  again.  The  settlers  kept 
coming  into  the  Lost  River  country  and  made  homes.  The 
first  man  that  settled  in  Langells  Valley,  Oregon,  was  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Langell.  The  valley  was  named  after 
him.  The  first  man  that  lived  in  Poe  Valley,  Oregon,  his 
name  was  Poe.  Likewise  the  valley  was  named  after  him. 
Going  back  to  Abe  Ball,  he  lived  on  Lost  River  for  a  long 
time  after  he  had  trouble  with  his  friend,  Skukum  Horse. 

The  country  was  getting  well  settled  up.  Ball  and  his 
friend  had  another  falling  out  in  the  year  1868.  Ball  wrote 
to  Capt.  Knapp,  the  agent  at  Klamath  agency,  stating  that 
the  Modocs  were  getting  unruly;  that  they  were  killing 
the  settler's  cattle  and  demanding  flour  and  other  provi- 
sions from  the  settlers.  He  was  afraid  that  the  Indians 
were  preparing  for  war.  He  stated  that  the  settlers  were 
at  the  mercy  of  the  savages.  It  was  not  long  after  Knapp 
got  his  first  letter  from  Ball,  he  got  another  one  from  him 
stating  that  the  Indians  were  giving  war  dances;  stating 
that  the  bucks  were  getting  bold,  and  there  must  be  some- 
thing done.  He  stated  the  settlers  must  be  protected.  Capt. 
Knapp  then  wrote  to  the  Indian  office  in  Washington,  D. 
C,  explaining  Abe  Ball's  communications,  whereupon 
Knapp  got  orders  from  the  Indian  office  to  investigate. 

Col.  A.  B.  Meacham,  at  that  time  of  Salem,  Oregon,  was 
appointed  Peace  Commissioner  by  the  government  to  go  to 
the  Modoc  Chief,  Capt.  Jack,  and  John  Schonchin,  sub- 
chief,  and  hold  a  peace  conference  with  them.  Col.  A.  B. 
Meacham,  I.  D.  Applegate,  John  Meacham,  George  Nurse 
and  Gus  Horn  and  a  company  of  soldier  cavalrymen  were 
ordered  to  go  in  November,  1869.  The  writer's  father  and 
mother,  Frank  and  Tobey  Riddle,  were  the  interpreters. 
The  writer,  who  was  a  small  boy  at  the  time,  was  present 
at  the  peace  council.  The  peace  council  was  well  attended 
by  the  Modocs.  They  all  agreed  to  go  to  Klamath  Agency, 
Oregon,  immediately,  providing  that  Peace  Commissioner 
Meacham  would  promise  to  protect  them  from  the  Klamath 
Indians.  Meacham  told  them  that  they  would  be  fully  pro- 

35 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

tected  by  Capt.  Knapp,  then  agent  for  the  Klamath  In- 
dians. Jack  and  Schonchin  agreed  to  be  ready  to  start  with 
their  people  the  next  day  for  their  new  home  on  the 
Klamath  reservation. 

The  next  morning  Capt.  Jack  was  ready  with  all  his  peo- 
ple for  the  journey.  It  took  eight  big  government  wagons 
with  mule  teams  to  haul  the  Modoc  women  and  their 
clothing,  etc.,  up  on  the  reservation.  The  point  is  known 
as  Modoc  Point  today,  named  on  account  of  the  Modocs 
being  settled  there  in  November,  1869. 

Jack  in  a  few  days  had  all  his  people  well  settled.  About 
the  month  of  December  he  called  on  the  Indian  agent, 
Knapp,  at  the  agency.  He  told  the  agent  that  he  wanted 
chopping  axes,  cross-cut  saws,  wedges  and  maul  rings.  He 
said  he  wanted  to  put  his  men  to  work  making  rails,  etc. 
Agent  Knapp  furnished  Jack  with  what  he  asked  for.  Jack 
went  home  to  the  Modoc  settlement  happy.  In  a  few  days 
the  Modoc  men  were  working  like  beavers.  They  made  nine 
hundred  pine  rails  in  a  very  short  time.  It  commenced  to 
snow.  Jack  told  his  men  to  quit  for  the  winter,  as  it  was 
bad  weather;  but  as  soon  as  the  weather  would  get  good 
in  the  spring,  they  w^ould  commence  making  the  rails  again. 
It  only  snowed  a  day  or  so  and  quit.  The  snow  soon  melted 
off.  Jack  concluded  to  commence  work  again.  The  Modocs 
went  out  one  morning  to  work.  Only  split  a  few  rails.  Along 
came  five  or  six  Klamath  Indians  with  their  wagons  and 
teams,  and  loading  their  wagons  with  the  rails  that  Jack's 
men  had  made,  drove  out  of  sight  in  the  timber.  Jack  and 
his  men  did  not  stop  work.  Jack  told  his  men  that  the 
Klamath  Indians  wanted  to  pick  a  fuss  with  him,  but  we 
shall  not  quarrel  with  them  or  fight  them.  If  they  come 
and  load  more  rails  in  their  wagons,  I  shall  ask  them  who 
gave  them  authority  to  haul  away  our  rails.  While  he  was 
talking  thus  to  his  men,  the  Klamath  teams  again  came 
in  sight.  The  wagons  stopped  at  the  rails  again.  The  work 
of  loading  rails  commenced  by  the  Klamath  Indians.  Jack 
walked  slowly  over  to  where  the  Klamaths  were  busy.  He 
asked  one  of  the  men  who  had  told  them  to  take  away  the 

36 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

rails.  The  Klamath  Indian  struck  himself  on  the  breast 
and  said,  "I  did."  The  other  Klamath  Indians  ran  up  to 
Capt.  Jack,  got  all  around  him  and  took  turn  about  and 
told  him  that  was  their  country  and  all  the  timber  be- 
longed to  them.  One  old  Klamath  man  said  to  Capt.  Jack: 
"I  am  a  Klamath  Indian.  This  is  my  land.  You  have  got  no 
business  to  cut  my  trees  down.  This  is  not  your 
country  or  land.  The  grass,  water,  fish,  fowl,  deer  and 
everything  else  belong  to  me.  I  will  take  the  rails  or  posts 
you  and  your  men  make.  My  agent  will  protect  me  and  all 
my  people.  You,  Capt.  Jack,  cannot  help  yourself.  Tule  Lake 
is  your  home.  Go  there  and  live,  and  do  what  you  please." 
At  this  juncture  Jack  replied:  "I  am  a  Modoc;  I  am  not 
afraid  of  you,  but  I  will  not  quarrel  with  you  or  your  peo- 
ple. I  think  the  agent  will  protect  me  and  my  people."  As 
he  said  his  last  words,  he  turned  his  back  on  the  angry 
Klamaths,  and  walked  back  to  where  his  own  men  were 
still  at  work.  He  called  his  men  together  and  told  them 
what  the  Klamaths  said  to  him.  *'Now,"  he  said,  "we  shall 
quit  for  the  present.  I  do  not  want  any  of  you  to  quarrel 
with  these  Klamaths.  I  will  take  you,  Bogus  Charley,  and 
go  this  very  day  and  see  the  agent.  I  think  he  will  protect 
us."  They  all  went  back  to  their  camps.  Jack  and  Bogus 
Charley  started  immediately  for  the  agency,  a  distance  of 
about  eight  miles.  On  their  arrival  at  the  agent's,  they  were 
met  by  a  crowd  of  Klamath  Indians.  The  Klamaths  taunted 
them;  told  them  they  were  all  cowards.  Jack  and  Bogus 
Charley  worked  their  way  through  the  crowd  and  got  into 
the  agent's  office.  Mr.  Knapp  was  in.  He  asked  Jack  what 
he  could  do  for  him.  Jack  told  him  about  making  the  rails, 
about  the  Klamaths  hauling  them  away,  and  what  the 
Klamaths  had  told  him.  He  told  the  agent  he  did  not  want 
any  trouble  with  the  Klamaths.  *1  have  come  to  you  for 
protection,"  said  Jack. 

Mr.  Knapp  said  to  Jack,  ''Perhaps,  if  you  move  your  peo- 
ple up  Williamson  River  a  few  miles,  the  Klamaths  will  not 
bother  you.  Let  your  rails  go.  Jack,  and  move  your  people 
right  away.  If  these  Klamath  Indians  bother  you  after  you 

37 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

get  to  work  upon  the  river,  I  will  attend  to  the  fellows,  but 
by  all  means,  Jack,  don't  fight  any  of  them.  Leave  every- 
thing with  me."  Jack  thanked  him.  Jack  and  Bogus  Charley 
got  back  to  their  settlement  in  the  evening.  Jack  called  a 
council  that  night.  He  explained  everything  to  his  sub-chief, 
John  Schonchin,  and  his  people.  The  two  chiefs  decided  to 
move  in  a  few  days  which  they  did.  The  Modocs  settled 
north  five  miles  up 
the  river  from  their 
first  settlement  at 
Modoc  Point.  They 
did  not  do  any  work 
of  any  kind  the  rest 
of  the  winter.  The 
Klamath  Indians  vis- 
ited with  the  Modocs 
frequently.  They  got 
along  tolerably  well. 
In  March,  1870,  the 
Modoc  Indians  and 
nearly  all  the  Klam- 
aths  went  fishing  on 
Lost  River,  ten  miles 
east  of  Linkville,  now 
called  Klamath  Falls, 
Oregon.  The  Klam- 
aths  and  Modocs  all 
went  back  to  their 
homes  on  the  reser- 
vation in  April.  Jack 
and  his  men  com- 
menced making  rails 
again,  near  their  new 
homes  in  May.  Had 
only  made  three  hun- 
dred when  the  Klam- 


<i^Capt.  O.  C.  Knapp,  U.  S.  Agent  at  the  Klam- 
ath Reservation,  served  in  the  Union  Army 
during  the  Civil  War  and  was  promoted  twice 
for  gallantry  and  meritorious  services  at  the 
battle  of  Mission  Ridge,  Tennessee,  and  dur- 
ing^Jthe  Atlanta  campaign.  Honorably  dis- 
charg^ed  at  his  own  request,  returned  to  his 
home  at  Bellefontaine,  Ohio,  where  he  died 
April  16,  1877. 


ath  Indians  commenced  to  haul  them  off.  Jack  stopped  his 
men.  He  told  them  that  he  and  Bogus  Charley  would  go  and 


38 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

consult  their  agent.  They  went  and  saw  the  agent.  Jack 
told  the  agent  what  the  Klamath  people  were  doing.  The 

agent  replied:   "You  black  son  of  a  b ;  d n  your 

heart ;  if  you  come  and  bother  me  any  more  with  your  com- 
plaints, I  will  put  you  where  no  one  will  ever  bother  you 

again.  Now,  get  out  of  here,  and  be  d n  quick  about  it, 

too."  Jack  stood  with  his  arms  folded  across  his  breast. 
He  said,  "Bogus  Charley,  tell  this  man  that  I  am  not  a  dog. 
Tell  him  that  I  am  a  man,  if  I  am  an  Indian.  Tell  him  that 
I  and  my  men  shall  not  be  slaves  for  a  race  of  people  that 
is  not  any  better  than  my  people.  If  the  agent  does  not  pro- 
tect me  and  my  people  I  shall  not  live  there.  If  the  govern- 
ment refuses  to  protect  my  people,  who  shall  I  look  to  for 
protection?"  Bogus  and  Capt.  Jack  went  back  to  their  set- 
tlement with  sad  hearts.  Jack  called  a  council  that  after- 
noon, and  said  to  his  followers:  "I  have  been  to  see  our 
agent.  He  threatened  to  kill  me.  He  sent  me  out  of  his  house. 
He  will  not  protect  us.  He  must  be  afraid  of  these  Klamath 
people.  I  do  not  want  my  men  to  be  slaves  for  these  Indians, 
and  they  shall  not  be.  My  people  are  just  as  good  as  these 
Indians  are.  I  am  not  afraid  of  them,  but  I  shall  not  fight 
them.  I  am  going  back  to  my  own  country.  If  I  stay  here 
I  will  be  killed.  I  know  it,  for  I  cannot  stand  for  what  the 
Klamath  Indians  do  and  say.  I  just  as  well  die  in  my  own 
country."  Next  day  in  the  forenoon,  Capt.  Jack  and  his  en- 
tire band  of  Indians  was  back  on  the  banks  of  Lost  River 
on  their  old  camping  grounds.  Some  of  the  Modocs  visited 
their  friends,  the  settlers,  and  told  the  settlers  that  they 
could  not  get  along  with  the  agent  and  Klamaths.  One  man 
by  the  name  of  Whitney,  said  he  was  glad  to  see  them  back. 
"There  is  plenty  of  room  for  all  of  us  here.  I  know  we  can 
get  along  fine." 

Jack's  people  all  went  in  different  directions  in  the  month 
of  June,  1870,  to  gather  roots.  The  men  all  happy,  some  of 
them  went  to  work  for  the  settlers.  They  did  not  have  any 
trouble  with  any  of  their  white  neighbors.  Abe  Ball,  Sku- 
kum  Horse's  friend,  had  left  while  the  Modocs  were  on  the 
reservation.  Jack's  people  went  to  Yreka  quite  often.  The 

39 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

white  people  did  not  harm  any  of  Jack's  people;  neither 
did  the  Indians  bother  the  whites.  The  Modocs  led  and 
lived  happy  lives  until  September,  1872.  Some  of  the  white 
men  told  Scar-Face  Charley  that  the  soldiers  would  be  af- 
ter them  soon. 

John  Fairchild  rode  one  day  into  Capt.  Jack's  camp  on 
Lost  River.  That  was  in  October,  1872.  The  people  gathered 
around  Fairchild,  all  glad  to  see  him.  Fairchild  was  one  of 
the  best  friends  the  Modocs  had.  Whenever  he  told  them 
anything,  they  believed  him.  Fairchild  told  them  that  day 
that  he  was  pretty  sure  the  troops  would  be  after  them 
next  month.  He  told  them  not  to  offer  battle,  but  to  go  with 
the  soldiers  to  the  Klamath  agency.  He  told  them  the  sol- 
diers were  like  them  black-birds,  pointing  to  a  flock  of 
black-birds.  Scar-Face  Charley  told  Fairchild  that  if  the 
soldiers  did  not  open  fire  on  them  they  would  not  fight. 
Fairchild  bid  the  Indians  farewell  and  left  for  his  ranch  in 
Hot  Creek,  California. 


40 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


CHAPTER  V. 


Captain  Jack  and  John  Schonchin  hold  Council  with  their  people  after 
talk  with  John  Fairchild. — Jack  tells  the  men  not  to  offer  fight  if 
the  soldiers  come — "Depend  on  me,  my  people,  I  will  do  the  right 
thing — we  will  not  be  hurt." — The  shooting  between  Scar-Face  Char- 
ley and  Major  Boutelle. 

November  28th,  1872,  the  agent  at  Klamath  agency  sits 
in  his  office  reading  a  telegram  from  the  Secretary  of  War 
at  Washington,  D.  C.  The  message  read  like  this:  "Major 
Jackson,  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon:  Go  to  Lost  River  and 
Move  Capt.  Jack  and  band  of  Modoc  Indians  onto  the  Klam- 
ath Indian  reservation,  Oregon;  peaceable  if  you  can,  but 
forcible  if  you  must." 

Tobey  Riddle  rode  towards  Lost  River  from  Yreka,  Cali- 
fornia. She  pats  her  bay  mare  on  the  neck,  saying,  "This 
has  been  a  hard  trip  for  you  today.  I  will  soon  get  there, 
Snippy,  but  we  cannot  stay  long  at  Capt.  Jack's  camp.  We 
must  go  on  tonight  towards  Yainax."  Tonight  the  noble 
animal  strains  its  every  nerve.  She  goes  away  in  a  fast  trot, 
then  at  a  gallop,  then  off  like  the  wind.  At  last  she  reaches 
the  top  of  the  small  ridge.<he  stops  her  faithful  mare,  looks 
long  at  the  white  specks  of  canvas  at  Jack's  camp,  and  says 
to  herself,  "I  guess  my  people  are  safe  yet!"  In  a  few  min- 
utes Tobey  is  among  her  people.  They  gathered  around  her. 
She  tells  in  these  words,  "I  am  glad  to  see  all  of  you.  I  left 
my  home  this  morning  about  fifty-eight  miles.  I  cannot 
stay  overnight  here.  I  must  go  on  to  my  father  and  bro- 
ther." Jack  replies,  "Cousin,  you  look  tired  and  anxious; 
what  is  the  matter?  Your  folks  are  just  over  the  hill  at 
Nuh-sult~gar-ka.  Your  brother,  Charley,  is  better.  Did  you 
hear  of  him  being  sick?"  Tobey  shook  her  head.  She  was 
crying.  After  she  overcame  her  grief,  she  said,  "The  sol- 
diers will  be  here  tomorrow.  I  rode  hard  in  order  to  reach 
you  people.  What  I  want  to  tell  you  is  this:  "Do  not  resist 
the  soldiers.  Do  not  offer  fight ;  if  you  listen  to  the  officers, 
you  people  will  not  get  hurt.  Go  back  to  the  agency.  You 

41 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

all  know  John  Schonchin's  zrother  and  my  brother,  Char- 
ley. All  their  people  are  living  in  Yainax,*  and  no  one  both- 
ers them.  They  are  Modocs.  Go  to  Yainax,  where  the  other 
Modocs  are.  You  will  be  safe  if  you  take  my  advice,  but  if 
you  fight  the  soldiers,  all  of  you  will  be  killed.  You  cannot 
whip  the  white  people.  There  is  too  many  of  them.  You  peo- 
ple could  never  kill  all  the  soldiers  the  government  could 
send  here."  Capt.  Jack:  "I  do  not  want  to  fight,  and  I  do 
not  expect  to  fight  without  the  soldiers  force  me  to  fight; 
if  I  am  forced  to  take  up  arms  against  the  soldiers,  I  will 
die  game." 

While  Jack  was  still  talking,  Tobey  Riddle  mounted  her 
trusty  animal.  She  reined  her  animal  around  and  said, 
"Farewell,  my  people,  we  may  never  meet  in  this  world 
again,  but  if  you  people  just  take  my  advice,  you  will  all 
die  naturals  deaths,  one  by  one,  near  your  native  country." 
She  tapped  her  trusty  animal  on  the  neck.  The  mare  started 
in  a  gallop  on  the  trail  headed  tor  Nuh-sult-gar-ka,  where 
now  stands  the  town  of  Bonanza,  Oregon.  Tobey  arrived 
at  her  destination  long  after  sun-down,  told  her  folks  that 
the  soldiers  would  be  after  the  Modocs  over  on  Lost  River 
tomorrow.  Some  of  the  Indians  packed  up  that  same  night 
and  made  their  way  towards  Yainax,  Oregon.  The  ride  of 
Tobey  Riddle  was  on  the  17th  day  of  November,  1872.  The 
distance  this  woman  rode  on  that  short  November  day  was 
about  seventy-five  miles. 

As  soon  as  Tobey  left  Capt.  Jack's  village  on  Lost  River, 
Oregon,  near  the  Natural  Bridge,  Scar-Face  Charley,  Shak- 
nasty  Jim,  Bogus  Charley,  Steamboat  Frank,  Hooker  Jim, 
Skukum  Horse,  Curley  Headed  Jack  and  others  got  their 
ponies  and  started  around  the  north  side  of  Tule  Lake  to 
see  the  settlers.  They  told  the  white  settlers,  namely,  Bod- 
dys,  Brotheringtons,  Overtons,  Miller,  Bibus,  Browns  and 
all  the  others  that  tne  soldiers  would  be  at  their  village  the 
following  day.  If  the  soldiers  uiu  not  treat  them  right,  they 
were  going  to  fight.  "We  came  here  to  see  you  men.  All  we 

*Meaning  in  Modoc,  At  the  Hill.  Sub-agency  at  the  east  end  of  the 
Klamath  Reservation,  Oregon. 

42 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

ask  of  you  men  is  to  stay  at  your  homes.  Take  no  hand 
against  us.  We  promise  that  not  one  of  you  will  be  hurt. 
Just  stay  at  your  homes.  Let  the  soldiers  lick  us."  The  set- 
tlers all  promised  to  stay  at  their  homes.  The  Indians  went 
back  to  their  villages,  well  satisfied  with  their  mission. 
After  sun-down  a  company  of  soldiers,  cavalrymen,  com- 
manded by  Major  Jackson,  was  dismounting  near  a  ford 
on  Lost  River,  four  miles  from  the  Indian  village  up  the 

river.  The  ford     is     now 


p.  called   Stukel   Ford.    The 

commander  told  his  brave 
soldiers:  "We  will  wait 
here  till  near  the  morning 
hour;  then  we  will  go 
down  and  pay  the  reds  a 
visit."  Eight  or  nine  miles 
southeast  of  the  company 
of  soldiers,  fifteen  or 
twenty  settlers  had  col- 
lected together  in  one  of 
the  settler's  homes,  and 
were  talking  about  the 
war.  They  were  preparing 
for  war  against  the  Mo- 
oes. 

Kind  reader,  these  men 
are  the  same  men  that  had 
promised  Scar-Face  Char- 
ley and  his  men  that  same 
evening,  that  in  case  the 
Modocs  g9t  into  a  fight 
witn  the  troops,  they 
would  stay  home  and  do 
as  the  Indians  had  requested  them  to  do.  Capt.  Jack  and 
John  Schonchin  stayed  up  till  a  late  hour  that  night,  try- 
ing to  reach  some  conclusion  for  the  following  day.  They 
decided  one  and  all  to  not  offer  battle,  unless  the  soldiers 
forced  them  to  fight.  All  of  the  Indians  went  to  their  lodges 


fi 


Steamboat  Frank,  a  Modoc  warrior. 
Indian  name  Slat-us-locks,  meaning 
sitting  down  clumsily.  Died  in  Oak- 
land, Maine,  1885,  while  studying  for 
the  ministry  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Society  of  Friends. 


43 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

and  v:ere  soon  sleeping,  not  thinking  in  the  least  that  they 
would  be  routed  by  daylight.  There  was  not  one  of  them 
but  what  thought  the  soldiers  would  come  to  their  villages 
in  day  time.  They  soon  afterwards  found  out  that  was  not 
the  case. 

Long  before  the  dawn  of  day  on  the  morning  of  No- 
vember 29,  1872,  the  soldiers  were  on  their  way  down  Lost 
River,  headed  for  the  Modoc  village  on  the  south  bank  of 
Lost  River.  The  captain  called  a  halt  about  one  mile  from 
the  village,  told  the  boys  it  was  too  dark  for  good  shooting 
yet.  "We  will  go  on  when  it  gets  lighter,"  he  says.  If  one 
could  have  penetrated  the  darkness,  he  could  have  seen 
fifteen  or  twenty  men,  less  than  a  mile  from  Curley  Headed 
Doctor's  lodge,  and  four  or  five  other  lodges  on  the  north 
bank  of  Lost  River,  straight  across  from  Jack's  lodge.  This 
body  of  men  are  the  settlers.  These  men  were  very  anxious 
to  secure  a  few  Modoc  scalps  at  the  risk  of  their  own  lives. 

The  Indian  dogs  had  been  barking  nearly  all  night.  The 
old  squaws  had  been  very  uneasy  on  account  of  the  barking 
of  the  dogs.  One  or  two  of  the  old  women  did  not  go  to 
sleep  all  night.  Just  at  daybreak,  one  old  woman  went  out 
and  started  up  the  river.  She  was  on  the  south  side.  She  had 
not  gone  but  a  short  distance  when  she  discovered  the  sol- 
diers advancing.  She  turned,  got  back  in  the  village  and 
gave  the  alarm.  Every  Indian  was  up  and  dressing  in  no 
time  to  speak  of.  One  of  the  braves  jumped  in  a  canoe  and 
paddled  across  the  river  and  told  the  Indians  on  the  north 
side  that  the  soldiers  were  right  at  their  village.  One  of  the 
Indians  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  went  out  to  see  about 
his  pony  he  had  picketed.  He  run  onto  the  settlers.  The  men 
told  the  Indian  they  had  come  there  to  watch  the  battle,  if 
any  should  take  place.  The  Indian  let  on  as  if  he  believed 
what  they  was  telling  him.  At  the  same  time  he  told  the 
writer,  afterwards  at  Yainax,  he  was  expecting  every  mo- 
ment to  be  struck  down.  The  Indian's  name  was  Little  Tail, 
now  deceased. 

The  soldiers  rode  right  up  to  Capt.  Jack's  lodge  and 
stopped.  Then  they  advanced  a  few  steps  on  foot  and  halted. 

44 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

By  that  time  the  braves  were  all  around  through  the  vil- 
lage. Major  Jackson  demanded  Capt.  Jack.  Scar-Face  Char- 
ley told  the  major  he  would  go  and  get  him.  Jack  appeared 
in  a  few  minutes.  A  few  of  his  men  were  with  him.  Every 
Indian  had  his  gun  with  him.  Jackson  told  Capt.  Jack  that 
the  Great  Father  had  sent  him  to  go  and  get  him,  Jack  and 
all  his  people  and  put  them  on  the  Klamath  reservation. 
Jack  replied,  saying,  *'I  will  go;  I  will  take  all  my  people 
with  me,  but  I  do  not  place  any  confidence  in  anything  you 
white  people  tell  me.  You  see  you  come  here  to  my  camp 
when  it  is  dark.  You  scare  me  and  my  people  when  you  do 
that.  I  won't  run  from  you.  Come  up  to  me  like  men,  when 
you  want  to  see  or  talk  with  me."  The  major  assured  Jack 
he  did  not  want  any  trouble.  He  says:  "Jack,  get  all  your 
men  up  here  in  front  of  my  men."  Jack  called  his  men  to- 
gether. They  did  it,  eyeing  the  soldiers  closely.  Some  of  the 
old  men  were  saying,  "Maybe  this  man  wants  to  repeat  what 
Ben  Wright  did  to  us  Modocs  years  ago."  When  all  the  Mo- 
docs  got  in  front  of  Jackson  and  his  soldiers,  Jackson  says 
to  Capt.  Jack:  "Now,  Jack,  lay  down  your  gun  here,"  point- 
ing to  a  bunch  of  sage-brush.  Jack  hesitated.  At  last  Jack 
says:  "What  for?"  Jackson  told  him,  "You  are  the  chief. 
You  lay  your  gun  down,  all  your  men  does  the  same.  You 
do  that,  we  will  not  have  any  trouble."  "Why  do  you  want 
to  disarm  me  and  my  men  for?  I  never  have  fought  white 
people  yet,  and  I  do  not  want  to.  Some  of  my  old  men  are 
scared  of  what  you  ask  me  to  do."  Jackson  said:  "It  is  good 
Jack,  that  you  don't  want  to  fight  whites.  If  you  believe 
what  you  say.  Jack,  and  you  will  give  up  your  gun,  I  won't 
let  anyone  hurt  you."  Jack  looked  at  his  own  men  and  or- 
dered them  to  lay  down  their  guns.  Every  Indian  stepped 
up  smiling,  and  laid  down  his  trusty  muzzle-loading  rifle. 
Scar-Face  Charley  laid  his  gun  down  on  top  of  the  pile  of 
guns  the  Indians  had  stacked,  but  he  kept  his  old  revolver 
strapped  en.  Jackson  ordered  him  to  take  his  pistol  off  and 
hand  it  over.  Scar-Face  said:  "You  got  my  gun.  This  pistol 
all  lite.  Me  no  shoot  him  you."  Jackson  ordered  his  lieu- 
tenant, Boutelle,  to  disarm  Scar-Face,  whereupon  Lieut. 

45 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Boutelle  stepped  forward  and  said:  "Here,  Injun,  give  that 

pistol  here,  d n  you,  quick."  Scar-Face  Charley  laughed 

and  said:  '*Me  no  dog.  Me  man.  Me  no  fraid  you.  You  talk 
to  me  I  just  like  dog.  Me  no  dog.  Talk  me  good.  I  listen  you." 

Boutelle  rew  his  revolver,  saying,  **You  son b ,  I 

will  show  you  how  to  talk  back  to  me."  Scar-Face  said,  "Me 
no  dog.  You  no  shoot  me.  Me  keep  pistol.  You  no  get  him, 
my  pistol."  Boutelle  leveled  his  revolver  at  Scar-Face's 
breast.  Scar-Face  drew  his  pistol.  At  the  same  instant, 
both  pistols  made  but  one  report.  The  Indain's  bullet  went 
through  Boutelle's  coat  sleeve.  Scar-Face  jumped  and  got 
his  gun.  Every  Indian  then  followed  suit.  The  soldiers 
opened  fire  on  the  Indians.  Not  more  than  thirty  feet  from 
them,  the  Indians  piled  on  one  another  trying  to  get  their 
guns.  After  the  Indians  got  their  guns  they  gave  battle. 
The  soldiers  retreated  after  a  few  minutes  of  firing,  leav- 
ing one  dead  and  seven  severely  wounded  on  the  field.  The 
Modocs  lost  one  warrior  killed  and  about  half  a  dozen 
wounded.  The  Modoc  warrior  killed  was  known  as  Watch- 
man; his  Indian  name  was  Wish-in-push.f 

When  the  Indians  saw  that  their  comrades  on  the  south 
bank  was  into  it,  they  jumped  in  their  dugouts  to  go  across 
and  assist  in  the  fight.  When  they  were  about  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  river,  the  settlers  on  the  north  bank  fired  on 

t"Major  Jackson  finally  rode  over  to  me  and  said,  'Mr.  Boutelle,  what 
do  you  think  of  the  situation?'  'There  is  going  to  be  a  fight,'  I  replied, 
'and  the  sooner  you  open  it  the  better,  before  there  are  any  more  com- 
plete preparations.'  He  then  ordered  me  to  take  some  men  and  arrest 
Scarface  Charley  and  his  followers.  I  had  taken  the  situation  in  pretty 
thoroughly  in  my  mind  and  knew  that  an  attempt  to  arrest  meant  the 
killing  of  more  men  than  could  be  spared,  if  any  of  the  survivors  were 
to  escape.  I  was  standing  in  front  of  the  troop.  I  called  out  to  the  men, 
'Shoot  over  those  Indians,'  and  raised  my  pistol  and  fired  at  Scarface 
Charley.  Great  minds  appear  to  have  thought  alike.  At  the  same  instant 
Charley  raised  his  rifle  and  fired  at  me.  We  both  missed,  his  shot  passing 
through  my  clothing  over  my  elbow.  It  cut  two  holes  through  my  blouse, 
one  long  slit  in  a  cardigan  jacket,  and  missed  my  inner  shirts.  My  pistol 
bullet  passed  through  a  red  handkerchief  Charley  had  tied  around  his 
head,  so  he  afterwards  told  me.  There  was  some  discuss  "on  after  the 
close  of  the  war,  as  to  who  had  fired  the  first  shot.  I  use  a  pistol  in  my 
left  hand.  The  track  of  Scarface  Charley's  bullet  showed  riiy  arm  was 
bent  in  the  act  of  firing,  when  he  fired.  We  talked  the  matter  over,  but 
neither  could  tell  which  fired  first.  The  fight  at  once  became  general. 
Shots  came  from  everywhere,  from  the  mouth  of  the  teepees,  from  the 

46 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

them.  George  Faiuke  fired  the  first  shot,  saying:  ''Up  at 
them,  boys!"  The  Indians  returned  the  fire  from  their  dug- 
outs. They  turned  around  and  paddled  back  to  the  north 
side.  By  the  time  the  Indians  got  on  the  bank  the  settlers 
were  way  back  in  the  thick,  tall  sage-brush,  shooting  all 
the  time  with  but  little  effect,  only  killing  one  old  squaw 
on  the  north  side,  killed  one  little  baby,  shot  out  of  its 
mother's  arms  while  she  was  running  to  get  in  the  thick 
tules.  One  man  had  his  arm  broken.  His  name  was  Duffey.i 
On  the  white  side  three  men  were  killed.  On  the  south  side 
one  able-bodied  warrior  was  killed;  one  girl  about  fifteen 
years  old  killed;  two  small  children  killed;  one  old  woman, 
helpless,  very  old,  burned  up;  Skukum  Horse  shot  below 
the  right  nipple,  making  a  bad  wound. 

After  the  Indians  repulsed  the  soldiers,  the  women  took 
to  their  dugouts,  many  going  along  the  river  through  the 
tules,  toward  the  lake  on  foot.  Some  of  them  hid  right  close 
to  their  camp  so  they  could  leave  under  cover  of  darkness 
the  following  night.  The  warriors  got  together,  some  on 
both  sides  of  the  river.  The  older  men  started  for  the  Lava 
Beds,  and  quite  a  few  of  the  women  and  children  in  their 
dugouts  or  canoes.  The  Indians  on  the  north  bank  of  Lost 
River  collected  together  and  decided  to  kill  the  settlers. 
The  settlers  had  all  gone  home.  About  ten  o'clock  a.  m. 
Hooker  Jim  led  the  Indians  to  the  settler's  homes.  By  sun- 
down Hooker  Jim  and  his  men  had  killed  eighteen  settlers, 
but  they  never  touched  a  white  woman  or  child.  Bogus 
Charley  told  Mrs.  Boddy  that  she  need  not  be  afraid  of 

sage  brush  on  our  left,  from  the  river  bank  and  from  the  bunch  of  braves 
in  which  Scar-Face  Charley  was  at  work.  As  soon  as  I  had  time  to  see 
that  I  had  missed,  I  suppose  I  fired  another  shot  at  Charley,  at  which  he 
dropped  and  crawled  off  in  the  brush.  Just  then  an  Indian  dropped  on 
his  knees  in  the  opening  of  a  teepee  a  few  yards  from  our  right  front,  and 
let  slip  an  arrow  at  me.  This  I  dodged  and  the  subsequent  proceedings 
interested  him  no  more." 

(This  is  major  F.  A.  Boutelle's  version  of  the  affair  with  Scarface  Char- 
ley, as  written  by  him  for  Cyrus  Townsend  Brady's  book  entitled  "North- 
west Fights  and  Fighters,"  from  pages  266  and  237.) 

Major  Boutelle  now  resides  in  Seattle.  Major  Jackson  resides  in  Port- 
land. 

JDuffey  was  the  father  of  Watson  Duffey,  who  resides  near  the  author's 
place.    He  died  at  the  Yainax,  Oregon,  on  the  19th  day  of  December,  1897. 

47 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

him.  He  said  this  just  as  Mrs.  Boddy  used  to  tell  it.  "Don't 
be  afraid,  Mrs.  Boddy,  we  won't  hurt  you.  We're  not  sol- 
diers. We  never  fight  white  women ;  never  fight  white  girl, 
or  baby.  Will  kill  you  women's  men,  you  bet.  Soldier  kill 
our  women,  gal,  baby  too.  We  no  do  that.  All  I  want  is 
something  to  eat.  You  give,  I  go.  Maybe  I  see  white  man ;  I 
like  kill  him.  No  like  kill 
white  woman." §  She  said 
she  gave  him  flour,  sugar 
and  coffee.  He  thanked 
her  and  went  on  his  mis- 
sion of  killing. 

Kind  reader,  would 
these  settlers  have  been 
killed  if  they  had  stayed 
at  their  homes  as  they 
were  requested  to  do  by 
the  Indians?  No  sir.  The 
settlers  would  never  have 
been  bothered,  not  a  bit 
more  than  their  wives 
were.  The  Modocs  never 
harmed  one  child  or  wo- 
man since  Capt.  Jack  be- 
came a  chief.  Major  Jack- 
son's soldiers  shot  down 
women  and  children  in 
Jack's  village.  Mind,  kind 
reader,  these  men  that 
shot  the  squaws  and  chil- 
dren were  white  men,  gov- 
ernment soldiers,  sup- 
posed to  be  civilized.  Jack, 
his  men  to  do  such  coward's  work,  as  he  called  it. 

When  the  soldiers  saw  that  the  Indians  had  all  left  their 
village  along  in  the  afternoon,  they  went  back  to  see  after 

§01d  settlers  say  that  is  true. 


a '      ^- 

1    JH 

1^ 

\p 

f 

m^ 

..     •        '■'-■       ■      _ ...J 

One-Eyed  Mose,  a  Modoc  warrior.  In- 
dian name  Mose  Ki-esk.  Husband  of 
One-Eyed  Dixie.  Died  near  Bly,  Ore- 
gon, 1910.  Cousin  to  Captain  Jack. 
Photo  by  Mr.  Heller,  1873.  From  the 
collection  of  Mr.  John  Daggett. 

a  born  savage  would  not  allow 


48 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

their  dead.  The  soldier  boys  found  a  very  old  squaw.  She 
was  so  old  she  could  not  walk,  was  blind,  could  not  see.  The 
soldiers  took  tule  matts  and  heaped  them  up  on  the  old 
squaw  till  they  got  a  big  pile  heaped  on  her,  say  like  a  load 
of  straw.  One  of  the  boys  lit  a  match  and  set  the  pile  of  tule 
matts  on  fire  that  they  had  heaped  on  that  poor  helpless 
blind  squaw  and  burned 
her  up  alive.  After  the 
matts  burned  up,  the  body 
of  the  old  squaw  was  lay- 
ing drawn  up  and  burned 
to  a  crisp.  One  of  the  of- 
ficers saw  her.  He  said: 
"Boys,  kick  some  sand 
over  that  old  thing.  It 
looks  too  bad!"  Mind  you, 
gentle  reader,  this  hap- 
pened right  under  the  eyes 
of  the  officers  of  this 
United  States  government 
that  was  in  command  that 
twenty-ninth  day  of  No- 
vember, 1872. 

I  can  write  many  and 
many  such  doing  on  the 
white's  side.  It  was  not 
the  Indians  altogether 
that  did  the  dark  deeds 
that  happened  in  early 
days  of  the  West.  The 
people  at  large  never  got 


One-Eyed  Dixie,  a  Modoc  squaw  and 
survivor,  now  residing  at  the  Snake 
Camp,  near  the  Yainax,  Klamath  Res- 
ervation, Oregon.  Photo  by  Mr.  Heller, 
1873.  From  the  collection  of  Mr.  John 
Daggett. 


the  Indian  side  of  any  of  the  Indian  wars  with  the  white 
people  of  the  United  States,  although  some  tribes  did  some 
awful  bad  deeds.  On  the  other  hand,  the  white  people  did 
the  same.  The  Modoc  Indians  never  killed  white  women  or 
children  after  Capt.  Jack  became  chief  of  the  Modocs.  Jack 
would  never  allow  such  doings. 


49 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  VI 


Captain  Jack  and  his  people  all  arrive  safe  in  the  Lava  Beds. — Captain 
Jack  occupies  the  largest  cave,  known  nowadays  as  Captain  Jack's 
Stronghold. — Indians  all  live  in  different  caves. — They  make  prepara- 
tions for  war. 

After  the  Modocs  all  got  well  settled  in  the  Lava  Beds 
they  took  life  easy  for  about  two  weeks,  keeping  two  men 
on  guard  night  and  day.  They  did  not  intend  to  be  caught 
napping.  They  was  expecting  troops  all  the  time.  About 
mid-day,  January  15,  1873,  one  of  the  Modoc  guards  saw  a 
large  body  of  horsemen  about  two  miles  west  of  their  camp 
on  a  ridge.  He  reported  to  his  chief.  The  chief  ordered  his 
men  to  prepare  for  battle.  The  enemy  disappeared.  The 
men  that  appeared  on  the  ridge,  was  a  company  that  was 
out  on  a  scouting  expedition,  sent  out  by  General  Gillem, 
from  John  Fairchild's  ranch  near  Hot  Creek,  California. 

General  Gillem  had  his  headquarters  at  Fairchild's  ranch. 
He  had  about  two  hundred  soldiers  under  his  command  at 
that  time.  The  scouting  party  returned  to  Gillem's  head- 
quarters late  in  the  evening  of  the  15th  and  reported  to  the 
general  that  they  had  located  the  Indian  camp.  The  gen- 
eral ordered  a  company  of  cavalrymen  on  the  morning  of 
the  16th  to  advance  on  the  Indians  and  rout  them  out  of  the 
Lava  Beds,  and  chase  them  if  they  could  get  them  started. 
Spare  none.  The  troops  started  for  the  field  of  action, 
early  morning  of  the  16th.  They  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill  on  the  southwest  of  the  Tule  Lake  edge  of  the  Lava 
Beds  in  the  afternoon.  The  troops  camped  there  for  the 
night  about  one  mile  and  a  half  from  the  stronghold.  Be- 
fore sundown  a  company  of  Oregon  volunteers  and  somie 
twenty  or  thirty  Klamath  Indians  arrived,  also  made  their 
camp  alongside  of  the  soldiers.  The  soldiers  and  volunteers 
put  their  guards  out,  two  hundred  yards  from  the  camp. 

The  men  after  supper  sat  around  their  campfires,  all  dis- 
cussing the  events  of  tomorrow,  how  they  were  going  to 
whip  the  Indians.    One  volunteer  says  to  his  comrade :  "Say, 

50 


fclfc 


T3  -H- 

TJ  rrt 

C 
0)   3    $-1 
cC  o  3 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Jim,  how  are  you  going  to  eat  your  Modoc  sirloin  for  dinner 
tomorrow,  raw  or  cooked  ?  I  am  going  to  eat  mine  raw.  I 
don't  want  to  take  the  time  to  cook  it.  I  want  to  clean  'em 
all  up  before  I  stop,  the  red  devils."  Jim  replied:  ''Bill,  gol 
darn  it,  I  don't  like  the  idea  of  facing  these  red  devils.  I 
wish  I  had  stayed  at  home.  I  believe,  Bill,  these  reds  are 
going  to  be  hell;  gol  darn  it,  I  do.  I  heard  these  Modocs 
was  gol  darn  good  shots ;  darn  it,  I  don't  want  'em  to  shoot 
at  me."  "Say  Jim,  play  sick  in  the  morning.  You  won't 
have  to  go  out  to  face  'em  at  all ;  you  are  afraid  of  them  In- 
juns ;  Jim,  I'll  go,  and  I  will  bring  some  Modoc  steak  in  for 
you  tomorrow  evening."  ''Bill,  gol  darn  it,  don't  talk  about 
them  Injuns.  They  are  bad  medicine;  gol  darn  it,  they  be." 
Some  of  the  volunteers  were  going  to  capture  nice  looking 
Indian  maids  and  make  them  cook  the  company's  meals. 

One  of  the  volunteers'  beats  was  right  on  the  shore  of  the 
lake.  He  was  on  the  lookout  for  the  Indians  pretty  close 
for  a  short  time.  He  got  sleepy  and  did  not  pay  much  at- 
tention to  his  duty.  The  moon  came  up.  The  volunteer 
noticed  the  moon  and  stopped  and  rubbed  his  eyes.  He 
yawned  and  was  just  in  the  act  of  starting  on  his  beat.  All 
at  once  he  saw  his  own  shadow  in  the  lake.  He  leveled  his 
gun  at  his  shadow  and  fired,  and  at  the  same  time  he  yelled 
like  ten  Modoc  warriors.  The  camp  was  in  commotion. 
They  thought  the  whole  Modoc  nation  was  right  in  amongst 
them.  Some  of  the  volunteers  broke  for  the  hill  like  es- 
caped horses.  Some  of  them  tucked  their  blankets  close 
over  their  heads  and  imagined  themselves  safe  from  the 
Modoc  bullets.  They  soon  found  out  that  the  guard  had 
been  dreaming.  The  guard  told  them  that  he  had  seen  the 
Injun  swimming  right  up  to  him  with  his  gun  in  his  teeth. 
"I  shot  the  devil.  He  sunk  right  where  I  shot  him."  Some 
of  the  boys  next  morning  went  down  to  where  the  guard  had 
killed  the  Indian,  but  found  the  water  only  ten  inches  deep. 
They  concluded  that  the  guard  did  not  kill  any  Indians.  The 
boys  teased  the  Indian  killer  so  much  about  him  shooting  at 
his  own  shadow,  he  pulled  his  coat  off  and  said :  "He  could 
lick  any  mother's  son  in  the  company."     Bill,  the  sirloin 

52 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


7*    r    i4    >; 


A     A     K    h' 


;.  ^-^^^ 


..  r' 


S.J.I.. ,    <*♦,».    l«„  h   I..  »!...    M.i- 


No    I. 

RECONNAISSANCE 

of   !]..- 

LAVA  in: IKS 

.lAlKS  .SrnoM.IUM  i>   KAKI    nihh; 
HOSriTAl  lUM'K 

r...  1.-.  ..t  f.K  -  ■  r  s  \ 


Showing  the  place  where  the  Peace  Commissioners  were  killed. 

53 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

eater,  did  not  show  up  till  after  breakfast,  looking  like  he 
had  been  sick  for  four  months. 

The  morning  was  clear  and  bright.  Not  a  cloud  in  sight. 
The  soldiers  and  Oregon  volunteers  advanced  on  the  Modoc 
stronghold  very  slow  and  cautious.  Not  an  Indian  was  in 
sight.  Finally  the  troops  reached  a  place  where  they  found 
plenty  of  fresh  tracks.  The  soldiers  halted  to  take  obser- 
vations. The  volunteers  led  by  their  captain,  Nat  Beswick, 
passed  by  the  troops.  Some  of  the  volunteers  were  saying : 
"I  know  them  black  devils  would  run  when  they  learned  that 
we  volunteers  would  get  after  them.  We  want  Injuns. 
Show  us  your  Injuns,  and  we  will  show  you  some  dead  ones." 
The  volunteers  had  not  gone  more  than  fifty  yards  after 
passing  the  soldiers  when  a  shot  rang  out  in  front  of  the 
advancing  volunteers.  That  shot  was  the  beginning  of  a 
hard  day's  battle. 

After  the  first  shot,  everyone  stood  still,  although  Nat 
Beswick  was  rolling  around  in  front  of  his  men  cursing  the 
Indians  with  everything  he  could  think  of.  Finally  Bes- 
wick shouted  to  his  men  thus:  "D m  your  souls;  get  me 

out  of  here.  Can't  you  see  I'm  shot;  my  thigh  is  broke." 
Two  of  his  men  jumped  and  raised  him  up.  Just  then  the 
Indians  opened  a  heavy  fire  on  the  volunteers  and  soldiers. 
The  soldiers  and  volunteers  were  fired  on  so  suddenly,  when 
they  were  not  expecting  it.  It  was  all  confusion  with  them 
for  quite  a  lapse  of  time.  At  last  they  rallied,  and  begin- 
ning firing,  it  was  not  long  till  the  battlefield  was  enveloped 
in  smoke.  Then  to  help  the  matter,  a  big  bank  of  fog  came 
from  the  south  and  settled  over  the  two  opposing  contest- 
ants, and  lay  over  the  battlefield  all  that  17th  day  of  Janu- 
ary, 1873. 

The  Indians  being  at  home  in  the  Lava  Beds,  knew  the 
natural  fortifications.  They  had  the  advantage  over  the 
enemy.  The  volunteers  and  soldiers  fired  volley  after  vol- 
ley into  the  rocks  and  fog,  but  never  an  Indian  could  they 
see.  They  fired  at  the  sound  of  the  Modoc  shots.  The  fog 
lifted  up  high  in  the  afternoon  just  for  a  minute  or  two. 
The  troops  and  volunteers  greeted  it  with  loud  cheers.    The 

54 


.  t* 


.?.««*..".«!-»    *-     -"S-SSR-^^-^,   «* 


/*  .1  A'  a; 


i 
i 


^1^ 


RECONNAisSANCE 
LAVA  IJKIIS 

i*k«*t<>lt  niMtwiiivr  ttirul i«Mt  <.it' 
.IA<'K*S  TAVK.    • 

»n«l  n«»i*tioii  of  liiM  * 

hv  I  .i|,»  (.  I  t.v.l.M  Kim     ' 
r.»i  i>»  .u  I  uu'*  t'  s  A 

^liMr.  t^**  fi4*uh/r  finr  .xhinrntiir  tTrrtir  ft-  tftfrh  in  • 
flu  ntrkf  rultf*- .  ti'rtniHiju.  htw  o/  imtnnif  rt/fr  ptt.i. 
tmtl  unttt  hr  iltr  yU»th*r.%Ji*rthrtnnttiit  tfrlilt  r/i r  ItHt^ 

7fi4'  fthufti'  hitf  nhnw,'* hrtttxHtort^.s  t»f  rtnhs,  put 
ttftftrtitr  MotttH''*. 

Hialf    na..  tiM'li  ».»  iiHI  YanU 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

bugle  called  charge.  Every  man  went  forward  with  his 
gun  grasped  tight,  eager  to  sight  a  Modoc.  The  Indians 
kept  up  a  heavy  fire  on  the  charging  forces.  Men  were 
falling  all  the  time,  while  they  charged.  They  were  ex- 
posed all  this  time  to  the  deadly  fire  of  the  Modocs.  The 
fog  now  banked  over  the  opposing  parties  more  dense  than 
ever.  No  man's  eye  could  penetrate  more  than  twenty 
yards.  The  Modoc  chief  with  Ellen's  man,  a  Modoc  brave, 
decided  to  get  the  warriors  together  and  charge  the  enemy, 
which  they  did  with  good  results,  as  the  enemy  retreated 
with  bad  order,  leaving  their  dead  and  wounded  behind.  It 
was  getting  late.  The  troops  and  volunteers  withdrew  to 
their  camp,  taking  some  of  the  wounded  and  dead  with  them 
that  had  fallen  early  in  the  day. 

Just  before  sunset  the  bank  of  fog  v/orked  its  way  north 
like  some  live  monster  and  settled  over  the  north  part  of 
Tule  Lake.  The  Modoc  warriors  seeing  that  their  enemy 
was  retreating,  went  out  on  the  battlefield,  eager  to  find 
something.  They  found  two  Klamath  Indians  hid  in  a  little 
cave.  They  took  them  both  prisoners.  In  their  search  they 
found  a  few  dead  soldiers  and  also  four  or  five  dead  volun- 
teers. They  found  nine  carbines  and  six  belts  pretty  well 
filled  with  carbine  cartridges.  Some  of  the  braves  went  to 
the  grounds  where  the  troops  and  volunteers  had  retreated 
in  bad  order.  They  were  overjoyed  when  they  saw  all  kinds 
of  guns  that  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the  brave  Oregon  vol- 
unteers or  sirloin-eaters.  The  guns  were  composed  of  Spen- 
cer sporting  rifles,  old  patent  Henry  rifles,  Remington  rif- 
les and  Ballard  rifles.  They  also  found  the  next  morning 
ammunition  scattered  all  over  the  ground  where  the  volun- 
teers had  made  their  hasty  run  for  life.  The  soldier  boys 
carried  their  guns  with  them. 

The  chief  called  his  men  together  at  the  war-dance  fire 
the  night  following  the  battle.  Not  one  of  his  men  was 
missing.  Every  brave  answered  to  his  name.  They  gave  a 
big  war  dance  that  night  in  sight  of  their  enemy.  Some  of 
them  made  speeches,  saying  they  knew  the  white  people 
were  many,  that  they  did  not  expect  to  whip  the  white  men. 

56 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

One  of  the  men  said — it  was  Shaknasty  Jim — "I  can  stand 
off  twenty  of  them  volunteers  now,  because  I  have  got  me 
a  nice  Henry  rifle  and  plenty  of  cartridges.  I  also  have 
plenty  of  volunteer  hats." 

The  soldiers  and  just  a  few  of  the  volunteers  went  out  to 
the  battlefield  the  morning  of  the  18th,  recovered  their 
dead,  and  returned  to  camp.  The  Indians  did  not  offer  bat- 
tle. The  boys  recovered  their  dead  without  being  molested. 
A  little  while  after  the  dead  were  brought  to  camp  the  sol- 
diers got  orders  to  move  on  to  the  Indians  and  renew  their 
attack.  The  volunteers  could  not  go,  as  they  did  not  have 
guns  enough  to  go  around.  Before  the  boys  got  ready  to 
go,  a  messenger  arrived  from  Fairchild's,  stating  that  Gil- 
lem  wanted  the  company  to  report  to  him  that  day,  so  they 
gave  the  dead  a  hasty  temporary  burial  and  started  for 
their  headquarters,  cursing  the  Indians,  vowing  vengeance 
to  the  Modoc  tribe.  The  volunteers  vacated  their  camp  im- 
mediately upon  the  departure  of  the  soldiers,  headed  for 
Linkville,  now  known  as  Klamath  Falls,  Oregon.  The  most 
of  the  boys  were  gunless  and  hatless.  The  Klamath  Indians 
accompanied  the  volunteers.  Two  of  their  number  were 
missing. 

The  Modoc  Indians  in  the  Lava  Beds  noted  the  departure 
of  the  soldiers  and  volunteers  and  Klamath  scouts  with  de- 
light. They  amused  themselves  by  making  the  two  cap- 
tured Klamath  prisoners,  cutting  all  kinds  of  monkey- 
shines,  war  dances  and  so  forth.  One  of  the  Klamath  pris- 
oner's name  was  Psin-ta-tum-weis,  translated  in  English, 
"Night  Traveler."    The  other  the  writer  forgets  the  name. 

Dr.  J.  O.  Skinner,  late  surgeon  in  the  U.  S.  Army  during  the  Modoc 
War,  now  residing  in  Washington,  D.  C,  writes  that  "Lieut.  Sherwood, 
21st  Infantry,  who  was  killed  the  same  day  that  Gen.  Canby  was  killed, 
but  on  the  other  side  of  Tule  Lake  (Col.  Mason's  camp),  and  where  he 
happened  to  be  at  the  time.  Sherwood  was  officer  of  the  day  and  went 
out  alone  to  see  what  the  Modocs  wanted.  They  were  waving  a  white 
flag  but  when  he  got  near  enough  to  them  to  hear  them  they  requested 
him  to  leave  his  sword  and  pistol  where  he  was,  and  come  out  and  talk 
to  them.  This  he  did,  to  show  them  he  was  honest  in  his  intentions.  But 
this  magnanimity  on  his  part  cost  him  his  life,  since  they  opened  fire  on 
him  with  fatal  effect  as  soon  as  he  was  close  enough.  It  was  the  basest 
sort  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  Modocs.  I  got  Sherwood  off  the  field 
after  he  was  mortally  wounded.    He  died  shortly  afterward." 

57 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  VII 

Colonel  A.  B.  Meacham  again  reappointed  Peace  Commisioner. — Rev. 
Thomas  and  General  E.  R.  S.  Canby  being  the  other  two  with  Frank 
Riddle  and  wife,  Tobey,  or  Wi-ne-ma,  Riddle,  as  government  inter- 
preters.— They  open  up  Peace  Councils  with  Captain  Jack,  John 
Schonchin  and  their  warriors. 

Judge  Steele  and  Judge  Roseborough*  of  Yreka  arrived 
at  Fairchild's  ranch  some  time  in  February,  1873,  about  the 
middle  of  the  month, t  as  near  as  the  writer  can  remember. 
On  the  28th  day  of  February,  Judge  Steele,  Judge  Rosebor- 
ough  and  John  Fairchild,  accompanied  by  Riddle  and  Wi- 
nema,  the  interpreters,  visited  the  Modocs  in  the  Lava  Beds. 
The  above-mentioned  parties  did  not  fear  the  Modocs,  as 
they  all  were  the  best  friends  the  Modocs  had.  When  the 
party  of  peace-makers  dismounted  at  Capt.  Jack's  strong- 
hold, the  Indians  greeted  them  sullenly.  Jack  demanded 
the  nature  of  their  visit.  Winema  replied  first  by  saying : 
"Our  object  is  to  have  a  good  talk  with  you  people,  which 
will  be  explained  to  you  tonight.  We  intend  to  stay  all  night 
with  you  people."  Scar-Face  Charley  said:  ''Yes,  you  folks 
might  stay  here  longer  than  you  want  to.  Winema,  you 
know  we  have  been  fighting  the  white  people ;  we  have  not 
quit  yet."  Winema  interrupted  by  saying,  "Charley,  we 
know  all  what  you  say,  but  listen,  these  men  here,"  point- 
ing to  the  whites,  "are  your  friends,  and  I  am  a  Modoc.  That 
is  the  reason  we  come  here  among  you.  We  know  you  will 
not  harm  us.  We  are  here  to  help  you  people,  not  to  destroy 
you."  Charley  said,  "All  right,  we  will  see."  At  this  junc- 
ture Capt.  Jack  ordered  two  braves  to  care  for  the  travelers' 
horses,  also  offered  food.  The  peace-makers  partook  of 
some  of  the  dried  meat  that  was  offered.     Soon  afterward 

*Judge  A.  M.  Roseborough,  born  about  1815  in  Tennessee,  came  to  Sis- 
kiyou county,  California,  in  1853.  Was  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Steele, 
Roseborough  and  Berry,  until  he  succeeded  Westbrook  as  County  Judge 
in  1856,  and  continued  in  that  office  until  elected  District  Judge,  which 
office  he  held  until  the  adoption  of  the  new  State  Constitution,  when  he 
removed  to  Shasta  county  and  then  to  Oakland,  California,  where  he  re- 
sided until  he  died,  on  November  8,  1900. 

IFebruary  23,  1873. 

58 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Jack  entered  his  cave  or  stronghold  followed  by  the  peace- 
makers and  most  of  the  braves,  all  bearing  their  guns. 

Judge  Roseborough  opened  up  the  council  with  these 
words:  "Capt.  Jack,  I  have  come  here  as  your  friend.  We 
have  been  friends  for  many  years.  I  am  your  friend  in  time 
of  peace  and  I  am  your  friend  in  time  of  war  just  the  same. 
Steele  and  Fairchild  are  the  same;  Riddle  and  his  wife  are 

your  friends.  You  all 
know  that  we  are  not 
afraid  of  you  people. 
Just  a  short  time  ago 
you  was  fighting  the 
soldiers  and  volun- 
teers right  here.  We 
know  that.  Then  next 
we  come  right  among 
you  people.  We  did 
not  bring  any  guns 
or  pistols  with  us.  We 
do  not  need  them. 
We  trust  you  people 
because  you  are  our 
friends.  If  you  want 
to  kill  us,  we  cannot 
help  it.  You  could  do 
it  easy,  but  I  know 
you  people  will  not 
even  think  of  killing 
us.  We  place  all  of 
our  confidence  in  you 
all." 


Judge  A.  M.  Roseborough.  Died  on  Novem- 
ber 8th,  1900,  aged  about  85  years.  Buried 
at  the  Catholic  Cemetery,  Oakland,  Califor- 
nia. From  the  collection  of  Mr.  John  Daggett 


Jack's  reply :  "Judge,  your  confidence  shall  not  be  in  vain. 
You  people  shall  not  be  harmed.  I  will  not  take  life  when 
not  necessary.  I  know  life  is  sweet,  but  I  shall  kill  in  self- 
defense  every  time  if  I  can.  I  cannot  help  it.  I  know  that 
I  and  all  my  people  are  doomed.  I  cannot  hold  out  long  in 
these  rocks  against  the  soldiers  with  the  few  men  I  have. 
I  know  that  you,  Judge,  are  a  forerunner  of  some  great  men 


59 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

that  intend  to  make  some  kind  of  offer  to  me  which  I  am 
unable  to  tell  at  this  time,  but  I  will  say  I  cannot  promise 
anything,  whatsoever  the  offer  may  be."  Winema  had  told 
him  what  their  mission  was  before  the  council  took  place. 

Fairchild  told  the  Indians  that  Frank  Riddle  and  Winema 
would  explain  to  them  just  what  the  Great  Father  in  Wash- 
ington wanted  to  do  for  the  Modocs.  Steele  and  Rosebor- 
ough  also  said:  ''Our  interpreters  will  tell  you  everything. 
Jack.  Riddle  is  a  good  man,  Jack ;  he  will  not  tell  you  any- 
thing that  will  lead  you  and  your  people  into  trouble."  Rid- 
dle said:  "Jack,  I  am  glad  to  be  here  among  you  people  to- 
night. I  am  sorry  you  are  in  trouble,  but  trouble  is  known 
the  world  over.  There  is  thousands  of  people  that  is  living 
quite  peacable  and  happy  lives  that  have  been  in  war.  The 
way  they  did  this  they  had  big  councils.  The  leading  men 
like  you  talked  over  their  war  and  made  peace.  They  quit 
fighting.  You  can  do  the  same.  It  does  not  matter  if  you 
did  kill  white  people,  if  you  will  listen  to  the  men  that  the 
government  sent  here  to  make  peace  with  you.  You  will  all 
be  safe  and  will  be  treated  right.  The  men  that  the  govern- 
ment sent  to  talk  to  you  people  are  at  Fairchild's  ranch  now. 
They  were  afraid  to  come  this  time  to  see  you,  so  they  sent 
us.  We  knew  you  would  not  hurt  us.  We  are  here  with 
you.  These  men  at  Fairchild's  are  your  friends.  Their 
names  are  General  Canby,  one  preacher.  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas, 
and  Col.  Meacham,  the  same  man  that  talked  to  you  on  Lost 
River  just  before  you  went  to  the  reservation.  Now,  Jack, 
I  want  you  to  make  peace.  The  soldiers  won't  hurt  any  of 
you  if  you  talk  peace." 

Winema  then  told  Jack  that  if  he  would  talk  peace  and 
make  peace  with  the  Commissioners,  they  would  make  ar- 
rangements for  them,  so  they  would  live  happy  in  the  fu- 
ture. Jack  said,  "All  right,  go  back  and  tell  them  great  men 
that  I  am  willing  to  hear  them  in  council  and  see  what  they 
have  got  to  offer  me  and  my  people.  Tell  them  to  come  and 
see  me  any  time,  or  send  for  me.  I  will  go  and  see  them  if 
they  will  protect  me  from  my  enemies  while  I  am  holding 

60 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

these  peace  councils.  Tell  them  that  I  am  willing  to  hear 
anything  they  have  to  offer,  if  it  is  reasonable." 

Roseborough  congratulated  Capt.  Jack  on  his  decision 
and  soon  afterwards  took  their  departure  for  Fairchild's 
ranch,  early  in  the  morning.  Immediately  after  their  ar- 
rival all  five  called  on  Col.  Meacham  and  the  other  Commis- 
sioners, told  them  that  the  chief  was  ready  at  any  time  to 
proceed  with  the  peace  councils.  The  Commissioners  greet- 
ed the  news  with  joy. 

Frank  Riddle  and  his  wife,  Winema,  took  a  message, 
March  9th,  to  Capt.  Jack,  telling  Jack  that  the  Commission- 
ers wanted  to  see  him  in  person  at  their  camp  at  Fairchild's 
the  following  day.  The  chief  asked  Riddle  if  he  thought 
they  wanted  to  get  him  away  from  his  people  to  make  him 
prisoner  or  kill  him.  Riddle  assured  Jack  not  to  be  afraid 
to  go.  He  would  not  be  harmed  in  any  way.  The  chief  said, 
"All  right,  Frank,  I  believe  you.  I  know  you  to  be  a  good, 
honest  man.  I  will  go  with  you  and  Winema  tomorrow." 
Frank  and  Winema  sit  up  nearly  all  night  with  Jack  and 
others  telling  them  not  to  fight  any  more.  Jack  promised 
them  he  would  not  fight,  if  he  was  not  forced,  but  'If  I  am 
forced  to  fight  I  will  fight  as  long  as  I  am  able  to  stand  up. 
I  am  not  afraid  of  the  men  that  want  to  talk  to  me,  them 
soldiers  I  mean.  I  think  they  want  to  lead  me  into  a  trap 
like  Ben  Wright  did  with  my  people  when  I  was  a  boy."  He 
was  told  that  the  present  Commissioners  would  not  do  that, 
that  they  would  not  have  any  soldiers  with  them  at  the 
councils.  Riddle  told  him  that  when  he  talked  with  Meach- 
am the  next  day  he  could  make  all  arrangements  about  the 
intended  council,  what  they  was  to  do  and  where  to  hold  the 
councils.    Jack  was  satisfied  with  the  explanation. 

Next  morning  Jack  was  ready  for  his  journey  with  Bogus 
Charley,  Boston  Charley,  Hooker  Jim  and  Dave  Rock.  Rid- 
dle and  wife  arrived  with  the  above-mentioned  Indians  at 
headquarters,  Fairchild's  ranch,  in  the  afternoon.  After 
the  party  had  refreshments  they  all  went  to  Col.  Meacham's 
tent  and  commenced  proceedings  of  their  first  peace  coun- 
cil.    General  Canby  taking  the  leading  part  on  the  white 

61 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

man's  side,  assisted  by  Col.  Meacham  and  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Thomas,  Capt.  Jack  being  spokesman  on  the  Indian  side; 
Winema  and  Riddle  acting  as  interpreters. 

The  writer  was  present  at  the  above-mentioned  council. 
The  agreement  and  compact  reached  on  that  day,  the  10th 
of  March,  1873,  was : 

"General  Canby  and  my  men,"  pointing  to  Meacham  and 
Thomas,  "do  make 
a  compact  to  you, 
Capt.  Jack,  that 
we  on  our  side  will 
not  commit  any 
act  of  war  on  our 
side  as  long  as 
these  peace  coun- 
cils are  going,  if 
you  do  not  commit 
any  act  of  war  on 
your  side  as  long 
as  we  hold  these 
peace  councils." 

Jack  replied:  "I 
agree  to  the  com- 
pact." Jack  fur- 
ther said  after  the 
compact  was  made, 
"General  Canby,  I 
want  to  tell  you 
that  my  word  is 
good  and  solid  as 
a  big  rock.  I  will 
live  up  to  my  compact  with  you  men.  You  will  find  that  out 
yourself,  but  if  you  live  up  to  your  part  of  the  compact,  I 
will  be  surprised,  for  it  will  be  the  first  time  any  white  man 
will  stand  up  to  their  word  with  us  Modoc  Indians.  I  do  real- 
ly hope  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  General,  you  will  keep 
your  promise  within  reach  of  your  memory  from  now  on." 
The  general  laughed  and  told  Jack  what  he  said  he  meant. 


Tobey  and  Frank  Riddle's  cave  in  the  Lava 
Beds.  This  cave  was  used  by  them  and  the 
author  before  the  killing  of  the  Peace  Commis- 
sioners; after  that  they  removed  to  Gen.  Gill- 
em's  camp.  Rocks  in  the  foreground,  part  of 
chimney  used  for  cooking  purposes. 


62 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

"You  shall  see,  my  brave,  that  you  are  entering  an  agree- 
ment with  a  man."  Whereupon  Jack  held  his  hand  out  to 
Canby,  saying:  "General,  two  men  has  met.  I  profess  to  be 
a  man  if  I  am  nothing  but  an  Indian." 

Jack  and  his  men  took  their  leave  soon  after  the  council 
the  same  evening,  escorted  a  few  miles  by  troops.  Canby 
concluded  to  move  his  camp  to  Vanbrimer's  ranch,  five 
miles  nearer  to  Capt.  Jack's  stronghold.  Gillem  moved  his 
whole  army  also.  The  move  took  place  March  15th.  A 
company  of  cavalrymen  went  out  the  same  day  to  take  ob- 
servation near  the  Modoc  stronghold.  The  company  pulled 
in  to  the  Vanbrimer  ranch  in  the  evening  with  twenty-three 
head  of  Modoc  ponies.  On  the  16th,  being  the  next  day. 
Princess  Mary,  Capt.  Jack's  sister,  Bogus  Charley  and  two 
other  Modoc  women  came  to  the  Vanbrimer  ranch,  and 
asked  for  their  ponies.  Canby  told  them  to  go  home.  "When 
peace  is  made  you  shall  get  your  horses,"  he  said.  Princess 
Mary  begged  the  general  to  let  her  take  at  least  her  broth- 
er's horse.  General  Canby  told  her  his  word  was  law.  Bogus 
Charley  and  women  went  back  to  the  stronghold  without 
the  stolen  ponies.  The  chief  told  them  it  was  all  right. 
Maybe  we  will  get  them  back  some  time. 

On  the  21st  the  soldiers  were  well  settled  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill,  one  mile  and  a  half  from  the  Modoc  stronghold.  The 
army  at  that  time  numbered  about  five  hundred.  Troops 
had  been  arriving  all  the  time.  Col.  Mason,  with  his  troops 
of  about  four  hundred,  was  stationed  on  the  peninsula  north 
of  the  stronghold  across  the  lake.  Gillem's  army  and  Ma- 
son's army  numbered  nearly  one  thousand  fighting  men. 

On  the  23rd  Winema  and  the  writer  took  a  message  to 
Jack,  stating  that  on  the  following  day  the  Commissioners 
wished  to  have  a  council  half  way  between  the  stronghold 
and  military  camp  in  a  tent.  Jack  and  his  men  told  the 
messenger  that  he  knew  that  the  soldiers  intended  to  kill 
him  and  all  his  people.  If  they  did  not  why  was  they  mov- 
ing on  him  for  with  so  many  men?  But  he  said,  "I  am  a 
true  Modoc.  I  am  not  afraid  to  die.  I  am  not  afraid  of 
them  brass  buttons.     Tell  the  Commissioners  I  will  meet 

63 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

them  in  council  tomorrow."  So  on  the  following  day  they 
met  in  council.  Quite  a  few  Indians  were  visiting  the  sol- 
diers while  the  council  was  in  progress.  Nothing  was 
reached  in  the  first  day's  council.  Jack  and  Chief  John 
Schonchin  wanted  the  government  to  give  them  a  piece  of 
land  near  the  Fairchild  ranch.  Canby,  Meacham  and  Thom- 
as could  not  agree  to  the  wish  of  the  Indians.  The  council 
ended  without  any  agreement.  Day  after  the  council  a  large 
body  of  Indians  visited  the  soldiers'  camp,  also  the  two 
stores  run  by  Pat  McManus  of  Yreka  and  Wallbridge  of  the 
same  place. 

On  the  morning  of  the  27th  Bogus  Charley  and  Hooker 
Jim  came  to  Gillem's  camp,  saw  Canby  and  Meacham,  told 
them  that  Capt.  Jack  wanted  to  hold  council  with  them  that 
day.  The  Commissioners  agreed.  Hooker  Jim  went  back 
immediately.  Jack  and  a  few  of  his  men  were  at  the  coun- 
cil tent  when  the  Commissioners  and  interpreters  arrived. 
Canby  told  them  he  was  glad  to  meet  them,  that  he  hoped 
they  would  be  able  to  reach  an  agreement  that  day.  Capt. 
Jack  said:  "General,  we  can  make  peace  quick  if  you  will 
meet  me  even  half  way.  It  takes  two  or  more  to  agree  on 
anything.  You  see.  General,  you  want  to  lay  the  plan  and 
want  me  to  agree  with  you,  which  I  cannot  do.  If  you  will 
only  agree  to  half  of  what  I  and  my  people  want,  why,  we 
can  get  along  fine." 

"Capt.  Jack,  I  want  you  to  understand  that  you  are  not 
to  dictate  to  me.  I  am  to  make  peace  with  you,  nothing 
else." 

Jack :  "Well,  General,  I  hardly  think  you  ought  to  dictate 
to  me.  I  think  you  ought  to  be  aware  of  the  fact  that  I  am 
not  your  prisoner  or  slave,  today,  anyway.  All  I  ask  of  you 
is  to  give  me  a  reservation  near  Hot  Creek,  California,  or 
near  the  Fairchild's  ranch." 

Canby:  "Jack,  you  know  I  cannot  do  that." 

Jack:  "Then  give  me  these  Lava  Beds  for  my  home.  No 
white  man  will  ever  want  to  make  homes  here." 

Meacham:  "Jack,  the  general  or  any  of  us  can't  promise 
you  any  place  until  we  make  peace." 

64 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Jack:  "If  that  is  the  way  you  explain  it  to  me,  how  will 
we  make  peace?  I  will  not  agree  on  anything  you  men  may 
offer  until  you  agree  to  give  me  a  home  in  my  native 
country." 

Thomas :  *'Capt.  Jack,  you  never  could  get  along  with  the 
white  people  in  this  country  because  there  has  been  blood 
spilt  here  by  your  people." 

Schonchin :  *1  thought  that  we  was  not  to  mention  any- 
thing that  happened  in  the  past.  We  are  only  to  talk  of 
peace." 

Thomas:  ''What  I  just  said  and  what  took  place  in  the 
first  fight  will  never  be  forgotten." 

Jack :  ''Why,  if  that  is  the  case,  we  never  will  make  peace 
or  we  never  would  be  safe  in  any  country." 

Canby:  "Listen  to  me,  you  Indians  have  got  to  come 
under  the  white  man's  laws.  The  white  man's  law  is  strong 
and  straight." 

Jack:  "All  I  want  is  your  promise  that  you  will  give  us 
a  home  in  this  country." 

Meacham:  "We  cannot  make  you  that  promise.  You 
never  could  get  along." 

Canby:  "I  tell  you,  Jack,  get  all  your  people  together  and 
come  out  under  a  flag  of  truce.  A  white  flag  means  peace. 
No  one  will  hurt  you  under  the  white  flag." 

Jack :  "Look  here,  Canby,  when  I  was  a  boy  a  man  named 
Ben  Wright  called  forty-five  of  my  people  under  the  flag 
of  truce.  How  many  do  you  think  got  away  with  their 
lives?"  Holding  up  his  hand,  says  five.  Holding  his  hand 
in  the  same  position  he  closed  his  thumb  and  two  fingers. 
Eyeing  the  general  closely,  he  says,  "Two  of  them  are 
there,"  pointing  over  his  shoulder,  "in  the  Lava  Beds,  alive 
today.  You  ask  me  to  come  out  under  a  flag  of  truce.  I  will 
not  do  it.  I  cannot  do  it." 

Canby:  "That  was  wrong." 

Jack:  "Your  white  people  at  Yreka  did  not  say  it  was 
wrong.  They  gave  him  a  big  dinner  and  dance  at  night, 
called  him  a  hero." 

Meacham:  "Jack,  we  are  different  men;  we  are  not  like 

65 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Wright;  we  want  to  help  you  people  so  you  can  live  in 
peace."  <  ' 

Jack:  "If  you  want  to  help  us  give  me  and  my  people  a 
home  here  in  our  own  country;  we  will  harm  no  one." 

Canby:  "Capt.  Jack,  we  have  told  you  and  John  Schon- 
chin  that  we  are  unable  to  give  or  even  promise  you  a  home 
in  this  country,  so  do  not  say  or  ask  anything  that  is  not 
in  our  power  to  grant." 

Capt.  Jack :  "My  true  man,  do  you  remember  the  compact 
we  made  at  Fairchild's  ranch,  not  so  very  many  days  ago, 
through  the  same  interpreters  that's  here  now  with  us? 
Canby,  you  told  me  that  any  terms  you  reached  with  me  in 
council  the  Great  Father  in  Washington  would  do.  Now 
you  tell  me  that  you  have  no  power  to  do  for  me  what  I 
ask." 

Thomas:  "Brother  Jack,  let  me  talk  next.  God  sent  me 
here  to  make  peace  with  you,  brother.  We  are  going  to  do 
it,  I  know  it,  God  says  so.  All  we  got  to  do  is  trust  God. 
Everything  will  come  around  right.  God  sees  and  hears 
everything." 

Jack :  "Brother  Thomas,  I  may  trust  God,  but  what  good 
will  that  do  me.  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  cannot  trust  these  men 
that  wear  blue  cloth  and  brass  buttons." 

Canby  (a  little  angry)  :  "Jack,  what  have  these  blue 
cloths  and  brass  buttons  done  to  you,  tell  me?" 

Jack:  "They  shot  our  women  and  little  babies  for  us." 

Canby:  "Did  not  your  men  kill  settlers  and  them  inno- 
cent?" 

Jack :  "The  men  killed  were  not  innocent.  They  were  the 
first  to  fire  on  my  people  on  the  north  banks  of  Lost  River." 

Tobey:  "Mr.  Canby,  do  not  get  mad;  you  cannot  make 
peace  this  way.  You  too,  Jack,  be  a  man,  hold  your  temper." 

Canby:  "Thank  you,  Tobey;  tell  Jack  we  will  now  pro- 
ceed right." 

Schonchin :  "Canby,  if  you  are  a  man,  which  I  hope  you 
are  to  be,  do  not  talk  about  the  past.  If  I  wanted  to,  I  could 
tell  you  of  things  that  has  happened  lately  that  is  not 
good." 

66 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Canby:  "Schonchin,  tell  me  about  some  of  the  things 
that  you  have  reference  to." 

Schonchin:  "I  do  not  want  to,  Canby,  for  the  simple 
reason  you  cannot  tell  of  anything  that  we  did  that  will 
compare  with  what  your  people  had  done  in  your  native 
land  in  the  past." 

Capt.  Jack:  "General,  if  we  are  to  see  which  one  of  us 
are  the  best  talker,  we  will  now  commence.  You  say  we  are 
not  to  have  a  home  in  our  country  because  we  killed  some 
settlers." 

Canby:  "Yes.  You  see,  Jack,  the  settlers  would  never 
treat  you  right,  but  if  you  will  give  up  your  men  that  mur- 
dered the  settlers  we  might  make  arrangements  so  you 
could  live  in  this  country." 

Jack:  "General,  will  you  give  up  your  men  to  me  that 
shot  our  women  and  children?" 

Canby  (laughing)  :  "Why,  Jack,  you  have  no  law.  Only 
one  law  can  live  at  a  time." 

Capt.  Jack:  "I  will  tell  you  what  I  will  do.  Canby,  if  I 
give  up  my  men  that  killed  the  settlers,  let  them  be  tried 
with  your  law,  will  you  give  up  your  men  that  shot  our 
women  and  children  and  let  them  be  tried  by  your  law?" 

Canby:  "No;  our  men  that  killed  your  squaws  and  chil- 
dren did  it  in  war." 

Jack:  "So  did  my  men  when  the  settlers  were  killed;  it 
was  in  time  of  war." 

Meacham:  "It  is  getting  late.  I  think  we  had  better  quit 
for  the  day.  Maybe  in  our  next  council  we  will  be  able  to 
come  to  terms." 

Schonchin:  "I  have  my  doubts.  If  you  Peace  Commis- 
sioners have  not  got  the  power  to  do  anything  for  us  Muck- 
luxs*  (Indians) ,  I  cannot  see  what  good  you  can  do  towards 
making  peace,  but  we  will  see  next  council.  We  will  reach 
terms  sure.  I  do  not  like  to  see  so  many  soldiers.  They  are 
not  here  for  any  good  purpose.  I  know  it.  I  feel  it.  I  see  it." 

Thomas:  "Brother  Schonchin,  don't  get  scared.  The  sol- 
diers will  not  hurt  you;  don't  be  afraid." 

*Muckluxs,  meaning  Modoc  people  or  Indians. 

67 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Schonchin:  ''Oh  no,  I  ain't  scared  or  afraid.  Do  not  let 
that  worry  you,  Thomas." 

Canby:  "When  you  are  ready  for  our  next  council  let  us 
know." 

They  all  parted  after  a  good  handshake  all  around ;  some 
of  the  Indians  going  with  the  Commissioners  to  their  quar- 
ters or  camps. 


Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate.  In  front  of  him  the  first  is  Long 
Jim's  (a  Modoc  warrior)  wife,  Indian  name  Lac-el-es; 
the  second  is  Me-hu-no-lush,  (she  is  bUnd).  Wi-ne-ma 
Tobey  Riddle  is  in  the  rear;  in  front  of  her  is  Sau-kaa- 
dush.  Frank  Riddle  at  the  right;  in  front  of  him  is  Mar- 
tha Mainstake,  sister  of  Betsy  Pokumkus,  the  Wild  Girl, 
Indian  name  Lauw-Lauw-Waush.  These  four  Modoc 
squaws  were  prisoners  in  charge  of  Captain  O.  C.  Apple- 
gate.  This  photo  was  taken  by  Muybridge  at  Riddle's 
camp,  1873. 


68 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


The  two  Chiefs  hold  Council  with  their  wariors  all  night,  after  the  last 
Council  with  the  Commissioners. — Jack  taunted  by  some  of  his  men, 
branded  as  a  coward  or  a  squaw. — Canby's  life  sealed,  also  Meach- 
am's  and  Thomas';  Dyar  and  Riddle  not  to  be  spared. 

After  their  council,  March  27th,  with  the  Commissioners, 
the  Indians  held  a  war  council.  John  Schonchin,  leading 
man,  was  assisted  by  Black  Jim.  Schonchin  told  his  men  he 
knew  peace  was  out  of  the  question,  as  the  Commissioners 
would  not  agree  on  anything  that  he,  Schonchin,  suggested. 
He  jumped  up  and  shouted  his  speech  thus :  "My  people,  I 
am  old.  I  have  been  trapped  and  fooled  by  the  white  people 
many  times.  I  do  not  intend  to  be  fooled  again.  You  all  see 
the  aim  of  these  so-called  Peace  Commissioners;  they  are 
just  leading  us  {Miickluxs)  Indians  on  to  make  time  to  get 
more  soldiers  here.  When  they  think  there  is  enough  men 
here,  they  will  jump  on  us  and  kill  the  last  soul  of  us.  I  know 
it.  Now  I  want  to  hear  some  one  of  you  give  your  opinion 
on  what  I  said,  or  what  shall  we  do."  Black  Jim,  v/hen 
Schonchin  concluded,  mounted  a  big  rock.  Every  eye  was 
on  him.  Jim  said:  ''Schonchin,  you  see  things  right.  I  for 
one  am  not  going  to  be  decoyed  and  shot  like  a  dog  by  the 
soldiers.  I  am  going  to  kill  my  man  before  they  get  me.  I 
make  a  motion  that  we  kill  them  peace-makers  the  next 
time  we  meet  them  in  council.  We  just  as  well  die  in  a  few 
days  from  now,  as  to  die  a  few  weeks  from  now.  All  that  is 
in  favor  of  my  proposition  step  up  to  me."  John  Schonchin, 
Boston  Charley,  Dave  Rock,  Shaknasty  Jim,  Little  Steve, 
Ellen's  man,  Bogus  Charley,  Curley  Headed  Doctor,  Steam- 
boat Frank,  Boncho  and  four  or  five  others  came  forward 
and  declared  themselves  ready  to  kill  the  Commissioners. 
The  other  Indians  never  moved.  After  the  Black  Jim  men 
made  their  war  speeches,  one  man  that  was  sitting  pretty 
well  back  from,  the  sage-brush  fire  got  up  and  came  for- 
ward. His  name  was  Weuim.*  He  said:  "I  am  a  Modoc.  I'm 

*William  Faithfull,  ihe  Modoc  warrior,  who  warned  Wi-ne-ma  that  the 
Peace  Commissioners  were  to  be  murdered. 

G9 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

one  of  3^ou.  1  object  to  the  way  you  decide.  You  are  wrong, 
Schonchin  is  not  head  chief.  Capt.  Jack  is  our  head  chief. 
I  have  not  seen  him  tonight.  We  shall  not,  must  not,  reach 
any  agreement  or  plot  against  any  one  or  parties  when  he 
is  absent.  Let  ns  hear  Capt.  Jack's  idea  or  opinion  on  what 
you  have  decided  to  do."  Black  Jim  said:  ''AH  right,  Vveium, 
I  will  go  and  fetch  him  here." 

Jack  and  Jim  were  among  the  rest  of  the  Indians.  In  a 
few  minutes,  Weuim 
stepped  forward  and  ad- 
dressed Jack  in  the  fol- 
lowing words:  "You  have 
been  holding  peace  coun- 
cils with  the  peace-mak- 
ers. You  are  our  head 
man.  Now,  I  want  you  to 
tell  these  people  here  to- 
night what  you  think  of 
the  councils,  or,  in  other 
words,  what  is  your  inten- 
tions. Tell  us.  You  ought 
to  know  by  this  time.  Do 
not  be  hasty.  Weigh  your 
words,  Jack,  for  you  know 
I  for  one  depend  on  you 
and  will  stand  by  your 
judgment."     Capt.     Jack 


William  Faithfull,  Indian  name  Weium. 
Died  November,  1911,  at  the  Klamath 
Reservation,  Oregon. 


searched  every  face  the  best  he  could  by  the  dim  firelight. 
He  knew  something  was  wrong  among  his  men.  He  did  not 
know  that  Schonchin,  his  sub-chief,  had  been  talking  war. 
Finally  he  said:  "Weuim,  I  just  do  not  know  how  to  com- 
mence, but  will  say  I  have  a  hard  fight  ahead  of  me  in  the 
coming  councils,  to  save  my  men  that  killed  the  settlers,  or 
to  win  my  point  to  secure  a  piece  of  land  in  this  country  for 
our  future  home.  But  I  am  going  to  do  it  without  any  trou- 
ble. All  I  have  to  do  is  to  hold  the  councils  and  stick  to  my 
point.  I  shall  win,  at  least,  I  think  I  will.  All  I  ask  you 
people  to  do  is  to  behave  yourselves  and  wait.    I  do  not  want 


70 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

to  do  anything  rash,  that  will  not  do.  We  may  go  to  Yainax, 
Oregon,  where  our  other  Modoc  people  are.  They  live  in 
peace,  why  can't  we?" 

Sconchin  said,  "Yes,  I  have  a  brother  at  Yainax.  I  know 
he  enjoys  life  there  with  his  people,  but  he  nor  any  of  his 
Yainax  people  killed  whites,  but  we  have.  We  never  could 
get  along  there,  even  with  our  own  blood,  let  alone  the 
whites."  **0h  yes,  we  could,  Schonchin.  I  will  work  it  so  no 
whites  will  bother  us.  They  will  protect  us  in  time.  The 
way  I  intend  to  do  is  this,  with  them  peace-makers.  I  will 
hold  out  for  a  reservation  at  Hot  Creek  or  right  here  in  the 
Lava  Beds,  as  I  have  been  doing.  When  they  see  I  insist  on 
either  one  of  these  places,  they  will  offer  us  Yainax.  Then 
I  accept  with  the  understanding  I  take  all  my  people,  none 
to  be  tried  for  murder.  My  people,  depend  on  me,  I  will 
pull  you  all  through  right." 

Black  Jim  jumped  on  a  big  rock  and  said:  "Jack,  you 
will  never  save  your  people.  You  can't  do  it.  Are  you  blind, 
my  chief?  Can't  you  see  soldiers  arriving  every  two  or 
three  days?  Don't  you  know  the  last  soldiers  that  came 
brought  big  guns  with  them  that  shoots  bullets  as  big  as 
your  head  ?  Then  you  say  you  are  going  to  win  your  point. 
Never !  The  Commissioners  intend  to  make  peace  with  you 
by  blowing  your  head  off  with  one  of  those  big  guns.  You 
mind  what  I  tell  you.  Jack,  the  only  way  we  can  get  an  even 
start  with  them  peace-makers  is  to  kill  them  next  council ; 
then  all  we  can  do  is  to  fight  until  we  die.  If  I  had  my  way 
them  peace  shammers  would  have  been  killed  long  ago,  be- 
fore so  many  soldiers  got  here.  They  are  going  to  force  us 
to  leave  our  country  or  fight,  and  I  am  going  to  fight,  and 
soon,  too.  I  will  not  be  trapped  like  our  fathers  were."  Jack 
never  said  a  word.  Others  followed  Black  Jim  in  pretty 
much  the  same  kind  of  talk.  Jack  said:  "My  men,  your 
talk  looks  reasonable,  but  does  not  my  talk  look  reasonable 
and  safer  for  all  of  us?"  Ten  or  twelve  men  rushed  up  to 
Jack,  saying:  "Your  talk  is  not  good.  Let  us  take  the  ad- 
vice of  Black  Jim.  We  are  doomed.  Let  us  fight  so  we  die 
sooner.    We  have  to  die,  anyway." 

71 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Jack  turned  from  his  crazed  mob  and  said:  "I  cannot 
agree  with  you  tonight."  Black  Jim  caught  Jack,  saying: 
"You  are  head  chief.  Promise  us  that  you  will  kill  Canby 
next  time  you  meet  him."  Schonchin  already  said  he  would 
kill  Meacham.  Jack  says :  "I  cannot  do  it  and  I  will  not  do 
it."  Hooker  Jim  stepped  up  to  Jack  and  said:  ''You  will 
kill  Canby  or  be  killed  yourself.  You  are  not  safe  any  place. 
You  will  kill  or  be  killed  by  your  own  men."  Jack  says: 
"This  is  not  fair,  my  men.  Why  do  you  want  to  force  me  to 
do  a  coward's  act?"  "It  is  not  a  coward's  act  we  ask  you  to 
do.  It  will  be  brave  to  kill  Canby  in  the  presence  of  all  these 
soldiers.  You  show  them  you  dare  to  do  anything  when 
time  comes."  "But  my  men,  I  will  not  promise  just  now." 
One  of  the  men  said,  "You  will,"  as  he  placed  a  squaw's  hat 
on  his  head,  and  another  one  threw  a  shawl  over  his  shoul- 
ders. They  tripped  him  and  threw  him  down  on  his  back 
and  taunted  him  by  saying,  "You  coward,  you  squaw.  You 
are  not  a  Modoc.  We  disown  you.  Lay  there,  you  woman, 
you  fish-hearted  woman."  Jack  jumped  to  his  feet,  threw 
the  woman's  hat  off  his  head.  He  shook  the  shawl  from  his 
shoulders  and  said:  "I  will  do  it;  I  will  kill  Canby,  although 
I  know  it  will  cost  me  my  life  and  all  the  lives  of  my  people, 
but  I  will  do  it;  still  I  know  it  is  a  coward's  work,  but  I  will 
do  it."  He  pushed  the  men  out  of  his  path  and  went  to  his 
cave.  He  said  nothing  when  he  entered  his  cave.  Schon- 
chin and  his  few  followers  danced  the  war  dance  till  the 
break  of  day.  After  their  breakfast,  they  indulged  in  sham 
battles  and  war  songs  and  more  dancing. 

Jack  refused  to  see  any  of  his  men  for  two  days  after  he 
had  been  forced  to  give  them  the  promise  to  kill  Canby.  All 
of  that  time  he  was  trying  to  study  out  a  plan  to  withdraw 
his  promise.  He  sent  for  Weuim  on  the  third  day,  told 
Weuim  that  he  was  sorry  of  what  he  said  to  Black  Jim.  "I 
do  not  want  to  kill  General  Canby  Muna-huh  Lockaa  (trans- 
lated, he  is  a  big  chief).  Weuim,  tell  me,  what  can  I  do? 
I  cannot  collect  my  thoughts.  Come  to  my  rescue,  save  me 
and  my  people."  Weuim's  reply:  ^^ Lockaa  Gewo  (trans- 
lated, my  chief,  call  a  council).    We  will  all  attend,    d  will 

72 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

see  that  all  the  men  will  hear  what  you  have  to  say.  Let 
the  council  be  tomorrow,  daytime,  so  you  can  look  us  all  in 
the  eyes  when  you  talk."  ^'Eh  Shep  kager  mish  nuh  nenh- 
huh  maust  nah  ke  wopker  (translated) ,  ''Yes,  I  thank  you," 
said  Jack.  "That  is  what  we  will  do."  Weuim  went  from 
cave  to  cave,  told  the  people  that  their  chief  wanted  to  see 
every  one  of  his  braves  in  council  tomorrow.  His  object, 
to  prepare  for  the  future.  The  braves  all  agreed  to  be 
present.  Weuim  went  and  told  Jack  that  every  one  agreed 
to  be  at  hand  when  the  council  opened. 

Every  warrior  was  up  bright  and  early  next  morning. 
All  got  ready  at  an  early  hour  for  the  council.  The  sun  was 
very  warm  that  morning.  It  had  been  storming  for  three 
or  four  days.  Jack  proposed  to  have  the  council  out  in  the 
sunshine.  After  all  the  warriors  had  seated  themselves  on 
rocks  and  brush,  Jack  walked  in  front  of  his  warriors.  He 
folded  his  arms  across  his  breast;  he  dropped  his  head,  and 
stood  still  for  several  minutes.  He  raised  his  head,  looked 
every  man  in  the  eyes  with  a  steady  gaze.  Some  of  them 
dropped  their  eyes  to  the  ground.  They  could  not  eye  him. 
He  scratched  his  head  for  some  moments  longer.  At  last 
he  said :  "My  people,  I  feel  degraded.  I  feel  as  though  I  was 
lost  and  among  strange  people.  I  feel  like  a  man  that  had 
been  kicked  out  and  away  from  his  friends  and  his  kin.  I 
am  almost  ashamed  to  commence  my  talk,  for  my  heart 
tells  me  I  had  just  as  well  talk  to  the  clouds  and  wind.  What 
I  am  going  to  tell,  you  would  have  listened  to  with  willing 
ears  a  few  years  ago,  but  now  it  will  all  be  in  vain,  but 
nevertheless  I  will  say  what  I  want  to  say  to  you  all.  In  the 
first  place,  I  want  to  say  that  life  is  sweet ;  love  is  strong ; 
man  fights  to  save  his  life ;  man  also  kills  to  win  his  heart's 
desire;  that  is  love.  But  let  us  see,  man  must  be  on  the 
right  side  before  he  does  the  killing,  then  he  shall  be  justi- 
fied in  what  he  did  in  the  eyes  of  the  white  man's  laws. 
Also  that  is  our  law ;  you  all  know  it.  My  people,  let  us  love 
life,  let  us  not  walk  into  the  jaws  of  death.  Death  is  mighty 
bad.  Death  will  come  to  us  soon  enough.  One  by  one  we 
will  be  called  away  from  our  loved  ones  by  the  Great  Father. 

73 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

We  can  look  back  on 
our  lives.  We  re- 
member our  loved 
ones  that  were  taken 
away  from  us.  Can 
we  do  it  without  feel- 
ing sad  ?  No,  we  can- 
not. It  is  the  nature 
of  mankind  to  mourn 
the  dead.  I  say  again, 
let  us  not  cause  the 
soldiers  t  o  repeat 
what  they  did  for  us 
in  our  fight  with 
them  on  Lost  River. 
They  killed  our  wom- 
en and  children.  If 
any  of  us  are  to  fall 
with  a  soldier's  bul- 
let, let  them  com- 
mence. My  men,  if 
these  soldiers  com- 
mence on  us,  we  can  fight  better,  stronger  and  braver.  You 
know  why,  because  we  will  be  fighting  in  self-defense,  for 
I  have  the  promise  of  the  peace-makers  that  there  shall  not 
be  anyone  hurt  as  long  as  the  peace  councils  are  going.  I 
promised  them  as  a  man  that  there  should  be  no  act  of  war 
committed  on  our  side  as  long  as  we  held  the  peace  councils. 
My  people,  let  me  show  the  world  that  Capt.  Jack  is  a  man 
of  his  word.  My  braves,  you  made  me  promise  you  some- 
thing a  few  nights  ago  that  I  am  sorry  of.  Do  not  hold  me 
to  it.  I  ask  you  this  for  the  love  I  have  for  you  all.  If  you 
hold  me  to  what  I  said  in  passion,  we  are  doomed.  Hooker 
Jim,  you  know  that  as  well  as  I  do." 

Hooker  Jim:  ''Chief,  we  hold  you  to  the  promise.  You 
have  to  kill  Canby.  Your  talk  is  good,  but,  my  brave  chief, 
it  is  too  late  to  put  up  such  talk  now.  Why  didn't  you  talk 
like  that  when  we  were  at  Klamath  agency?    Now  it  is  too 


74 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

late  for  that  kind  of  talk.  You  know  it  yourself."  Jack 
said :  "All  you  that  are  in  favor  of  me  to  murder  Canby  raise 
to  your  feet."  All  stood  up  but  about  a  dozen.  Jack  says 
once  more.  "Shall  I  kill  that  noble  man,  General  Canby?" 
"Yes,  yes,"  from  many  mouths.  Jack  says:  "All  right.  I 
see  you  do  not  love  life  nor  anything  else.  I'll  do  it,  but  not 
tomorrow.  I  will  say  this  again,  my  people,  if  Canby  re- 
fuses to  give  us  a  home  in  our  country,  I  will  ask  him  many 
times.  If  he  won't  agree  to  do  what  I  want,  then,  only  then, 
I  will  commit  the  bad  act.  But  if  he  comes  to  my  terms  I 
shall  not  kill  him.  Do  you  men  hear?"  They  all  said,  "Yes." 
"Will  that  do?"    "Yes." 


Gen.  Frank  Wheaton,  U.  S.  A.    Died 
June  18,  1903,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


75 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  IX 


Last  Council,  April  11,  1873.— Canby  and  Dr.  Thomas  killed.— Colonel 
Meacham  saved  by  Tobey  Riddle,  although  badly  wounded. — L.  S. 
Dyar  and  Frank  Riddle  also  make  their  escape. — Tobey  Riddle  struck 
down  by  Boncho,  a  Rock  Indian. 

April  9th  the  Commissioners  sent  Tobey  Riddle  to  Capt. 
Jack's  stronghold  with  a  message  stating  they  wished  to 
hold  council  with  Jack  and  five  of  his  men,  unarmed.  The 
writer  went  along  with  his  mother,  Tobey  Riddle,  that  day. 
Tobey,  a  few  minutes  after  her  arrival  at  Jack's  cave  or 
stronghold,  delivered  the  message  or  told  them  the  wishes 
of  the  Commissioners.  Jack  agreed  to  the  meeting.  He 
said:  "I  will  meet  them  tomorrow  right  after  dinner  time. 
I  shall  do  as  the  peace-makers  wanted  me  to  do.  Just  five 
men  will  be  with  me,  unarmed." 

Tobey,  after  having  an  understanding  with  the  chief 
about  the  time  they  should  look  for  the  Indians  at  the  peace 
tent,  visited  the  different  caves  until  late  in  the  evening. 
When  Tobey  and  the  writer  had  gone  about  half  a  mile  on 
the  trail,  Weuim  stepped  from  behind  a  big  rock  in  front  of 
Tobey's  horse.  He  held  his  hand  up.  He  walked  up  to 
Tobey's  horse,  laid  his  hand  on  the  horse's  mane,  and  said 
in  a  low  voice:  "Cousin  Tobey,  tell  them  peace-makers  not 
to  meet  these  Indians  in  council  any  more.  They  will  be 
killed."  Just  then  another  old  Indian  stepped  up  with  his 
gun  across  the  hollow  of  his  left  arm.  He  said:  ''Weuim, 
what  are  you  telling  Tobey?"  Weuim  said:  "I  just  told 
cousin  here  in  case  we  did  go  to  war  I  want  her  to  care  for 
my  little  girl  that  is  over  to  Yainax."  The  old  Indian  said: 
"Oh!  that's  all  right,  if  that  is  all  you  said."  Tobey  looked 
Weuim  in  the  eye  and  said :  "All  right.  Cousin  Weuim,  I  will 
do  as  you  say.  I  understand."  Weuim  nodded  his  head,  said 
"Good-bye  till  we  meet  again."  Tobey  reined  her  horse  into 
the  winding  trail  once  more,  taking  the  trail  for  Gillem's 
camp.  Just  before  she  reached  camp  she  said  to  the  writer : 
"My  boy,  in  case  I  and  your  father  get  killed,  stay  with  Mr. 

76 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Fairchilds,  he  will  care  for  you  till  my  brother  comes  after 
you,  but  if  I  can  prevent  it  the  Peace  Commissioners  shall 
not  meet  Capt.  Jack  and  his  men  in  council  any  more."  All 
the  time  she  was  talking  to  her  boy  she  was  crying,  as  her 
heart  was- broke.  "My  boy,  you  heard  the  words  that  Weuim 
said.  I  believe  him.  I  know  he  tells  the  truth.  Now  it  lays 
with  me  and  you  to  save  the  Commissioners,  and  if  it  is  in 
my  power  to  do  it,  I  will,  God  knows.  We  must  save  them." 
A  few  minutes  after  we  got  to  our  own  camp,  Frank  Riddle, 
the  writer's  father,  knew  what  the  Indians  intended  to  do 
in  the  next  council.  Tobey  was  so  anxious  about  the  in- 
tended massacre,  she  could  not  eat  her  supper.  ''Let  us  go 
and  warn  the  Commissioners,"  she  says,  *'for  I  know  what 
Weuim  told  me  this  evening  is  true ;  Weuim  never  tells  lies. 
I  know  him  to  be  a  truthful  man."  When  she  said  the  last 
words  she  started  for  Col.  Meacham's  tent,  followed  by  Rid- 
dle and  boy.  Col.  Meacham  received  the  interpreters  with 
an  extended  hand  and  a  manly  smile  on  his  pure  and  honor- 
able face,  saying  to  the  writer  in  a  playful  way:  ''Well,  Jeff, 
I  hope  you  and  your  mother  brought  Capt.  Jack  to  terms 
today."  Jeff  replied  by  saying:  "Mr.  Meacham,  I  and  moth- 
er learned  on  our  way  to  camp  the  intention  of  the  Indians." 
Tobey  says:  "Jeff,  tell  Meacham  what  we  were  told  by  We- 
uim." I  told  Mr.  Meacham  just  what  Weuim  said  and  also 
of  the  other  old  Indian.  Meacham  looked  Tobey  straight  in 
the  face  and  said:  "Is  it  the  fact?"    He  was  assured  it  was. 

Frank  Riddle  spoke  for  the  first  time,  saying:  "Mr. 
Meacham,  I  have  known  you  for  many  years,  that  is  the 
reason  we  took  you  into  our  confidence.  My  wife's  life  is 
in  danger.  I  know  you  will  keep  what  you  have  been  told- 
by  my  boy  and  wife  as  a  secret.  Of  course.  General  Canby, 
Thomas,  and  Mr.  Dyar  will  have  to  promise  me  before  we 
tell  them  that  they  will  not  betray  my  wife  and  boy." 
Meacham  said,  "Mr.  Riddle,  your  confidence  is  not  mis- 
placed when  you  trust  me.  I  will  have  the  parties  you  refer 
to  here  in  a  few  minutes,"  which  he  did. 

After  Mr.  Canby,  Thomas,  Dyar  and  Mr.  Fairchilds  seat- 
ed themselves,  Tobey  says:  "My  friends,  I  have  something 

77 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

to  tell  you  men  tonight  that  concerns  all  of  you,  but  I  must 
ask  you  before  I  tell  you  not  to  tell  any  of  the  Modocs  where 
you  was  told,  what  I  am  going  to  tell  you  men,  and  by 
whom.  My  life  and  man's  life  and  little  boy's  life  will  be 
in  great  danger.  Now  gentlemen,  do  you  all  promise  what 
I  tell  you  to  keep  it  a  secret?"  Meacham  was  the  first  man 
to  say,  "Tobey,  anything  you  tell  me  that's  for  our  good  I 
will  keep  it  to  myself,  depend  on  me."  Canby  was  next  to 
speak.  "Mrs.  Riddle,  as  a  man,  I  promise  you  not  to  say  a 
single  word  to  any  Modoc  of  what  you  are  to  tell  us."  Thom- 
as was  next.  He  got  on  his  knees,  clasped  his  hands,  and 
said :  "Sister  Tobey,  I  am  a  minister  of  the  Gospel.  I  have 
my  God  to  meet,  and  in  the  name  of  God  I  will  not  divulge 
any  secret  that  you  may  tell  me."  Dyar  next.  "Tobey,  you 
know  me;  trust  me  as  I  trust  you  and  your  husband."  Fair- 
childs:  "Tobey,  I  know  how  to  keep  a  friend's  secret.  I 
shall  not  and  will  not  expose  you  folks  to  any  danger,  for  I 
feel  that  you  learned  something  very  bad  and  dangerous 
today." 

Tobey  said,  "All  right  my  friends,  I  depend  on  you.  I  was 
told  this  evening  by  my  cousin  Weuim  on  this  side  of  the 
Modoc  camp  that  the  next  time  you  meet  Jack  and  his  men 
in  council  you  would  all  be  shot  to  death.  That  will  be  to- 
morrow afternoon.  Jack  agreed  to  meet  you  tomorrow,  but 
for  his  own  reasons  not  till  afternoon.  My  boy  Jeff  heard 
what  Weuim  said,  so  please  do  not  give  Weuim  away.  He  is 
your  friend.  If  he  had  not  been  your  true  friend  he  never 
would  have  told  me.  What  I  tell  you  is  the  truth.  Take  my 
warning.  Do  not  meet  them  people  in  council  any  more.  If 
you  do  you  will  be  carried  to  this  camp  dead,  from  the  peace 
tent." 

Canby  smiled  and  said:  "Mrs.  Riddle,  I  believe  you  are 
telling  us  just  what  was  said  by  your  cousin.  I  will  not  tell 
on  you  or  your  cousin,  but  I'll  say  this:  The  little  handful 
of  Modocs  dare  not  do  that — kill  us  in  the  presence  of  a 
thousand  men.    They  cannot  do  it." 

Dr.  Thomas  said:  "God  will  not  let  them  do  such  a  thing. 
I  trust  in  God  to  protect  us." 

78 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Frank  Riddle  said:  "Gentlemen,  I  have  known  these  Mo- 
docs  for  a  long  time.  If  they  have  decided  to  kill  you  com- 
missioners they  will  do  it — I  know  it.  If  you  men  go  tomor- 
row to  meet  them  Modocs  you  will  never  see  the  sun  rise 
again  in  this  world." 

Meacham,  Dyar  and  Fairchilds  agreed  with  Riddle.  Can- 
by  said:  **We  shall  see  in  the  morning  what  there  can  be 
done."  He  bid  all  good  night  and  went  to  his  tent,  likewise 
they  all  went  to  their  tents  except  Riddle  and  wife.  They 
sat  up  till  after  midnight  discussing  about  the  intended 
massacre.  They  was  trying  to  hit  upon  a  plan  to  save  the 
officer.  Meacham  was  willing  that  the  council  should  not 
take  place.  Meacham's  last  words  that  night  was,  'Well,  I 
will  see  that  Canby  will  not  meet  them  Indians  in  council 
tomorrow.    I  will  do  my  best  to  prevent  it." 

On  the  morning  of  the  intended  council,  April  10th,  1873, 
Bogus  Charley  and  Boston  Charley  came  to  Gillem's  camp 
about  ten  o'clock.  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  met  them,  fifty  yards 
or  more  from  Col.  Meacham's  tent,  and  said,  "Good  morn- 
ing. Bogus  Charley,  good  morning,  Boston,"  before  they 
said  "Good  morning."  He  put  his  hands  on  each  Indian's 
shoulder  and  said,  "Why  do  you  Indians  want  to  kill  us? 
Don't  you  know  we  are  your  friends  ?"  Bogus  Charley  says, 
"Who  said  we  wanted  to  kill  you,  or  was  going  to  kill  you?" 
Thomas  said :  "Riddle's  squaw,  Tobey."  Bogus  said  she  lied 
if  she  said  that.  Thomas  said,  "I  thought  she  lied,  Charley, 
that  is  why  I  ask  you."  Boston  Charley  turned  back  right 
from  the  spot  for  Capt.  Jack's  stronghold,  to  tell  the  chief 
that  Tobey  had  betrayed  them.  Bogus  Charley  and 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  walked  arm  in  arm  to  Col.  Meacham's 
tent.  Both  entered  Meacham's  tent.  Canby,  Fairchilds, 
Dyar,  Riddle  and  wife  also  went  to  Meacham's  tent.  Bogus 
Charley  was  very  friendly  with  all.  He  nor  Thomas  said  a 
word  about  their  first  talk,  a  few  minutes  before.  Bogus 
was  saying  that  he  had  no  doubts  but  what  they  would  be 
able  to  come  to  some  terms  that  afternoon.  He  said  he  and 
all  the  people  was  very  tired  of  the  life  they  were  leading. 
"We  want  to  make  peace  right  away."     While  Bogus  was 

79 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

thus  holding  the  attention  of  the  Commissioners,  Hooker 
Jim  stepped  in  and  said,  "Tobey,  Capt.  Jack  wants  to  see 
you  at  his  cave.  He  sent  word  to  you  men" — looking  at 
Meacham  and  Canby — "that  he  was  unable  to  meet  you  in 
council  this  afternoon  as  he  promised  yesterday."  Tobey 
said,  "All  right,  I  will  go  and  get  ready."  She  stepped  out, 
followed  by  Riddle,  Meacham  and  Hooker  Jim. 

Meacham  asked  Hooker  Jim  what  Jack  wanted  with  To- 
bey. Jim  said:  "He  wants  Tobey  to  tell  him  why  she  lied." 
"Who  said  she  lied,  and  what  about?"  inquires  Meacham. 
"You  know,  old  man  Meacham,  she  told  you  we  was  going 
to  kill  you  men  next  time  we  met  in  council."  "Who  said 
she  told  us  that?"  "Who?  did  you  say,  Meacham?  Why, 
that  man  you  call  God's  man,  Thomas.  You  know  him 
Meacham,  Preacher  Thomas."  Tobey  was  just  in  the  act 
to  mount  her  horse  when  Meacham  walked  up  to  her  saying, 
"Wait  a  moment,  I  want  to  speak  to  you  and  your  husband 
before  you  go.  Come  to  my  tent  and  come  in."  Riddle  and 
wife  went  in  with  him. 

Meacham  told  Tobey  that  Thomas  had  told  on  her.  "It  is 
dangerous  for  you  to  answer  Jack's  summons.  If  Jack  wants 
to  see  you,  we  will  ask  him  to  come  here.  I  don't  want  you 
to  go." 

Tobey  said:  "I'll  go;  I'm  not  afraid  to  go,  Meacham.  I 
am  willing  to  do  most  anything  to  bring  around  peace;  I 
am  going." 

Meacham,  handing  Tobey  a  derringer:  "Here,  take  this 
along,  you  may  need  it,  but  I  had  rather  for  you  not  to  go." 

Just  then  the  Rev.  Thomas  walked  in  and  said,  "Hello, 
friends,  getting  ready  for  council?"  Riddle  looked  Thomas 
in  the  eyes  and  said,  "Thomas,  you  lied  like  a  yellow  dog 
last  night  when  you  promised  my  wife  that  you  would  not 
say  anything  about  what  she  was  to  tell.  Jack  has  sent  for 
her.  You  are  the  cause  of  it.  I  tell  you  this.  Rev.,  if  my 
wife  ain't  back  here  by  sundown,  I'll  take  my  gun  and  shoot 
you  in  the  right  eye,  you  black-hearted  son  of  a  dog."  Thom- 
as threw  his  hands  up  and  said,  "Brother  Riddle,  get  down 
on  your  knees  and  pray  to  almighty  God  for  forgiveness." 

80 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Riddle  said,  "You  living  yellow  dog,  you  might  get  down  and 
pray  the  caps  off  your  knees,  then  God  would  not  forgive 
you  for  what  you  said  last  night."  Tobey  mounted  her 
horse  and  headed  for  the  famous  Modoc  stronghold.* 

When  she  rode  up  to  Jack's  stronghold,  every  Modoc 
brave  was  there  to  receive  her.  Hooker  Jim  and  Bogus 
Charley  also.     Tobey  jumped  from  the  saddle,  got  a  good 

*Since  writing  the  history  of  the  Modoc  War  of  1872  and  '73  it  has  been 
in  my  mind  that  I  did  not  do  justice  to  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas,  who  lost  his  life 
on  the  11th  day  of  April,  1873,  while  in  council  with  Capt.  Jack  and  a  few 
of  his  warriors.  The  Honorable  Thomas  was  killed  the  same  time  the 
noble  officer,  Gen.  Canby,  met  his  death.  A.  B.  Meacham  was  also 
wounded. 

Although  it  has  been  forty-one  years  since  the  Rev.  Thomas  was  killed, 
I  remember  him  like  it  had  not  been  over  ten  years  ago,  as  I  now  recall 
his  noble  face  and  fine  manners.  His  aim  in  those  days  of  trouble  with 
the  Modocs  was  good;  he  tried  with  his  whole  heart  to  bring  about  peace; 
he  was  a  friend  to  them.  He  did  not  want  to  see  them  mistreated.  I 
remember  one  evening,  while  talking  with  father  and  mother,  he  said: 
"Sister  Tobey,  your  people  have  been  mistreated  from  the  first  time  the 
white  people  came  into  this  country.  It  makes  my  heart  ache  to  know 
how  they  have  been  wronged.  But,  thank  our  God,  they  will  not  be 
wronged  any  more.  I  will  see  that  they  shall  have  justice.  I  love  the 
Indians  more  than  I  do  my  own  race.  We  have  got  to  deal  with  the  In- 
dian just  the  same  as  we  have  to  with  children.  You  see,  Sister  Tobey, 
we  must  treat  them  with  kindness;  promise  them  nothing  we  cannot  ful- 
fill; by  doing  this  we  get  their  confidence.  They  will  believe  what  we 
tell  them.  We  cannot  do  anything  with  them  by  threats  or  force.  I  do 
not  believe  in  war;  we  should  not  have  war." 

My  gentle  reader,  this  noble  man  Thomas  little  thought  that  within  a 
few  days  he  would  be  begging  for  mercy  of  one  of  these  very  people  that 
he  wanted  to  see  saved  from  the  horrors  of  war.  That  man  he  pleaded 
for  mercy  with  was  Boston  Charley,  who  paid  with  his  own  life  for  the 
life  of  Thomas  on  the  third  day  of  October,  1873,  at  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon. 

With  a  rope  around  his  neck,  with  three  others — Capt.  Jack,  Schonchin 
and  Black  Jim. 

Thomas,  when  he  went  in  company  with  Gen.  E.  R.  S.  Canby  on  the 
morning  of  April  11th — ^that  was  a  day  or  so  after  mother  and  father 
warned  him  and  the  other  Peace  Commissioners  that  they  would  be  killed 
the  next  time  they  met  in  council — as  I  was  going  to  say,  when  he  started 
for  the  council  tent  on  that  morning  of  the  11th,  he  knowed  he  never 
would  walk  back  over  that  trail;  he  knew  he  was  to  die  that  day.  But  it 
was  his  duty  to  meet  them  Indians;  he  went  to  his  death  with  faint  hopes 
that  something  would  happen  that  would  stay  the  hands  of  the  murder- 
ers; he  died  trying  to  save  people  that  did  not  respect  his  pleading. 

Since  I  have  grown  old  I  have  a  warm  place  in  my  heart  for  Rev.  Dr. 
Thomas.  I  do  not  confound  his  name  for  not  believing  my  mother's  warn- 
ing. I  do  not  think  of  him  with  curse  words  for  betraying  mother.  For 
I  know  he  had  a  motive  in  what  he  did.  I  know  he  was  too  good  a  man 
to  do  wrong,  and  know  at  the  same  time,  he  was  doing  wrong.  So  long 
as  I  live  I  will  remember  the  Rev.  Thomas  with  only  the  very  best 
thoughts. 

81 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

firm  hold  on  the  halter  rope,  sat  down  on  a  rock,  and  ad- 
dressed Jack  thus:  "Well,  I  am  here.  What  can  I  do  for 
you,  or  do  you  want  to  do  something  for  me?"  Jack  said, 
"Yes,  Tobey,  you  can  do  something  for  me.  I  understand 
you  told  the  peace-makers  we  was  going  to  kill  them  the 
next  time  we  met.    Did  you?" 


The  Peace  Commissioners'  tent,  near  where  they  were 
killed.    Photo  by  Muybridge,  1873. 


Tobey:  "Yes,  I  warned  them  against  you.  You  know  I 
told  them  the  truth,  don't  you  ?  You  do  intend  to  kill  them, 
my  husband,  too."  Jack:  "Well,  Tobey,  tell  me  who  told 
you  about  it."  Tobey:  "It  was  not  a  dream,  altogether.  The 
spirits  told  me  that  you  people  was  going  to  kill  the  Peace 
Commissioners.    I  believe  in  spirits;  they  never  lie."    Capt. 

82 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Jack:  *'Tobey,  do  not  play  with  me.  I  am  desperate  today, 
so  the  quicker  you  tell  me  who  told  you  the  better.  I  mean 
every  word  I  say.  Don't  play  with  me — not  today,  any- 
way." 

Tobey:  "Jack,  you  deny,  then,  that  you  intended  to  kill 
the  Commissioners  ?"  Jack :  "I  will  say,  whoever  said  I  was 
going  to  kill  the  peace-makers,  lies.  If  I  find  out  who  start- 
ed the  lie  on  me  I  will  make  him  or  her  suffer.  Now  I  de- 
mand of  you  to  tell  me  who  told  you;  what  you  told  the 
peace-makers.  Hurry,  tell  me,  I  will  take  your  foolishness 
no  more." 

Tobey  jumped  up  on  a  big  rock,  unbuttoned  her  coat,  and 
said: 

''Jack,  I  am  a  Modoc.  Every  drop  of  blood  in  my  veins 
is  Modoc  blood.  I  told  the  Commisioners  of  your  plot  and 
cowardly  intention  toward  them.  I  did  not  dream  it.  The 
Spirits  did  not  tell  me,  either,  but  one  of  your  men  told  me 
that  he  knew  all  about  it.  He  is  right  here  now  among  you. 
I  see  him  right  now,  but  I  will  never  tell  you  who  he  is." 

She  drew  the  derringer  out  of  her  pocket  with  her  right 
hand  and  waved  it  over  her  head.  She  struck  herself  on  the 
breast  with  her  left  hand  and  said:  "Now,  Capt.  Jack,  shoot 
me  right  here,"  pointing  at  her  breast,  "if  you  dare.  Shoot 
me  if  you  dare  Jack.  You  are  not  brave  enough  to  shoot 
me  when  I  tell  the  truth.  I  have  a  loving  husband  and  a 
dear  son,  but  I  am  not  afraid  to  die  while  I  am  doing  my 
duty.  Shoot  me,  I  say  again,  if  you  dare !  The  soldiers  will 
avenge  my  death,  you  will  never  be  able  to  fight  the  white 
man." 

Three  or  four  guns  were  leveled  at  Tobey,  at  that  instant. 
Jack  threw  his  hands  up,  told  his  men  to  put  their  guns 
down.  He  was  obeyed  instantly.  Eight  men,  Weuim  among 
them,  stepped  up  to  the  side  of  Tobey  and  said,  "We  die 
with  this  noble,  brave  woman."  Capt.  Jack  got  among  them 
and  said,  "Me,  too!" 

Jack  offered  his  hand  to  Tobey,  which  she  took.  Jack 
said :  "My  brave  woman  friend,  no  one  shall  hurt  you  in  my 
presence.    They  step  over  my  dead  body  first.    You  are  a 

83 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

true  Modoc.  You  have  proved  it  today.  Some  one  told  you 
a  mistake.  We  are  not  going  to  kill  anyone  if  everything 
goes  right.  You  tell  them  peace-makers  that  we  will  be  at 
the  tent  early  tomorrow,  six  of  us,  unarmed.  Nothing  will 
happen  if  they  talk  sense  to  me.  Now,  Tobey,  it  is  getting 
late.  Get  on  your  horse,  and  go  back  to  your  husband  and 
boy.  I  detail  these  eight  men,  your  friends,  to  escort  you 
within  talking  distance  of  the  soldiers'  camp.  Some  of  the 
boys  will  be  over  to  your  camp  tomorrow  morning  same  as 
usual.  Do  not  think  hard  of  my  words  I  spoke  to  you  a  little 
while  ago.    I  was  mad." 

,  Tobey :  "Thank  you.  Jack,  but  these  men  don't  have  to  go 
with  me  as  my  escort."  "Let  them  go,  Tobey.  Some  of  my 
men  has  evil  hearts."  Tobey  waved  her  hand  to  the  people 
and  started  for  Gillem's  camp;  four  braves  ahead  of  her 
horse  and  four  behind,  their  guns  slung  carelessly  over 
their  shoulders,  every  one  of  them  accompanied  Tobey  right 
to  her  tent.  Frank  Riddle  invited  them  all  to  Charley  La 
Booth's  restaurant  where  they  ate  a  hearty  meal  and  im- 
mediately departed  for  their  caves  in  the  Lava  Beds. 

Meacham,  soon  as  he  found  out  that  Tobey  had  got  back 
safe,  came  over,  told  Tobey  to  come  over  to  his  tent  and  tell 
him.  General  Canby,  and  the  others  what  her  experience  had 
been  since  she  left  that  day  noon  with  Jack  and  his  war- 
riors. They  went  to  Meacham's  tent  together.  The  writer, 
of  course,  went  too.  Tobey  told  the  above  mentioned  gen- 
tlemen all  that  took  place,  everything  that  Jack  said,  and 
done,  and  everything  that  she  did,  and  said.  Canby  said: 
"Mrs.  Riddle,  I  congratulate  you  on  your  safe  return;  we 
shall  see  what  the  husky  Capt.  Jack  will  do  tomorrow  at  our 
council." 

Tobey  said,  "Canby,  take  my  word;  do  not  go;  you  will 
be  killed.  I  know  that  these  Modocs  will  kill  all  of  us  to- 
morrow if  we  go.  They  may  not  kill  me,  but  I  am  afraid  of 
them.  They  are  sure  that  the  soldiers  are  going  to  attack 
them  soon  as  they  get  their  orders  from  Washington.  You 
see,  they  are  desperate,  so  don't  go,  for  the  love  of  your 

84 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

family.  Heed  my  warning,  for  I  have  warned  in  time.  Save 
yourself." 

Canby  said:  "Friend  Tobey,  I  thank  you  very  much  for 
your  kind  words,  but  where  my  duty  calls  me  I  go  as  a  sol- 
dier. You  see,  I  have  got  to  go."  Mr.  Meacham  said,  "Gen- 
eral Canby,  we  don't  have  to  meet  Jack  tomorrow.  Let  us 
not  go.  Tobey  is  giving  us  good  advice."  Canby  said, 
laughing,  "Col.  Meacham,  Tobey  has  got  you  scared.  Do 
not  show  the  white  feather.  Colonel,  if  you  don't  go,  I'll 
meet  them  alone  tomorrow.  These  Modocs  are  not  fools. 
They  won't  try  to  harm  us,  only  half  a  mile  from  our  army 
in  plain  view." 

At  that  Frank  Riddle  said:  "Mr.  Canby,  before  we  go 
tomorrow  I  want  to  have  a  talk  with  you.  General  Jeff  Da- 
vis and  General  Gillem."    "All  right  sir,  Mr.  Riddle." 

Morning  of  April  11th,  1873,  the  Peace  Commissioners 
was  all  up  early.  Canby  and  Thomas  went  from  tent  to 
tent  side  by  side.  They  little  thought  that  was  their  last 
day  on  earth.  Riddle  and  wife  was  with  Meacham  all  morn- 
ing, Tobey  trying  to  get  Meacham  not  to  go,  even  if  the 
others  did  go.  Meacham  called  Fairchilds  in  his  tent.  He 
handed  him  a  package  that  contained  over  one  hundred  in 
money,  two  finger  rings,  and  his  gold  watch  and  chain,  say- 
ing: "John  Fairchilds,  I  am  going  to  my  death.  Send  that 
package  to  my  wife.  She  lives  in  Salem,  Oregon.  I  don't 
like  to  go,  but  I  am  not  a  coward."  Meacham  stepped  out  of 
his  tent,  his  face  flushed,  and  was  ready,  as  he  said,  to  go 
to  his  death. 

Canby  and  Thomas  came  up  and  asked  Meacham  and 
others  if  they  were  ready.  Tobey  walked  up  to  General 
Canby,  placed  her  right  hand  on  his  arm,  and  said :  "Canby, 
once  more,  and  for  the  last  time,  I  beg  of  you  not  to  meet 
Capt.  Jack  today.  He  will  kill  you.  He  said  he  was  going 
to  kill  you.  Canby,  believe  me,  I  tell  you  the  truth.  Meach- 
am will  not  go  if  you  don't,  so  don't  go."  She  was  crying. 
"Canby,  I  will  hate  to  see  you  shot  today.  I  do  not  want  to 
see  any  of  you  men  killed.  You  will  wish  you  had  taken  my 
warning,  when  it  will  be  too  late,  so  please  take  my  warning 

85 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

while  you  are  at  yourself."  Thomas  said:  "Sister  Tobey, 
them  Modocs  will  not  hurt  us.  God  will  not  allow  it."  To- 
bey said:  "Thomas,  my  poor,  doomed  friend,  I  pity  you. 
You  betrayed  me,  but  I  forgive  you.  You  too  will  beg  for 
your  life  before  the  sun  sets;  so,  my  friends,  let  us  not  go." 

Canby  said:  "Well,  gentlemen,  it  is  time  for  us  to  start; 
let's  go."  Riddle  says:  "Hold  on.  General,  I  want  to  have 
that  talk  with  you  and  the  other  generals,  also  Fairchild, 
before  we  start."  Canby  said:  "All  right;  we  go  too.  Gener- 
al Gillem."  He  taking  the  lead,  the  others  following,  all 
walked  into  General  Gillem's  big  tent,  and  found  all  the 
officers  in.  Canby  said:  "Brother  officers.  Riddle  wishes 
to  have  an  understanding  with  you  gentlemen  in  regard  to 
our  council  with  the  Modocs  today."  General  Gillem  spoke 
— he  being  the  head  officer — "All  right,  Mr.  Riddle,  what 
is  it?" 

Riddle  said :  "It  is  this :  These  men.  General  Canby,  Rev. 
Thomas,  Col.  Meacham  and  Mr.  Dyar  are  going  to  meet 
Capt.  Jack  and  his  men  in  council  today  against  my  will, 
also  against  the  wishes  of  my  wife,  Tobey.  We  have  warned 
them  time  and  again  of  the  danger.  As  I  tell  you  now,  gen- 
tlemen, they  will  be  killed  today.  I  know  it.  I  and  my  wife 
have  done  our  best  to  prevent  this  council,  but  Canby  don't 
seem  to  believe  us.  What  I  want  you  gentlemen  to  know  is 
this :  If  I  happen  to  make  my  escape,  I  want  my  hands  clear. 
I  don't  want  any  blame  to  fall  on  me  or  my  wife,  if  she 
escapes,  for  as  I  said  a  few  minutes  ago,  we  did  our  best  to 
save  these  men:  that's  all  I  have  to  say." 

Gillem  said :  "All  right,  Mr.  Riddle,  I'll  see  you  through, 
but  do  you  really  believe  these  Indians  will  undertake  to 
kill  the  Commissioners?" 

Riddle:  "Yes,  sir,  I  do.    I  know  they  will." 

Canby:  "Well,  brother  officers,  I  bid  you  all  a  last  fare- 
well. From  what  Riddle  says  this  my  last  day."  Laughing, 
he  started  for  the  peace  tent,  closely  followed  by  Thomas. 
Canby  had  a  box  of  cigars  under  his  arm  for  the  Modocs. 
When  the  interpreters,  and  Dyar  and  Mr.  Meacham,  arrived 
at  the  peace  tent,  Canby  and  Thomas  was  there,  and  eight 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Indians  all  smoking  General  Canby's  cigars.  They  was  all 
laughing  and  talking,  having  a  good,  joyful  time. 

Meacham  was  the  first  to  dismount.  Meacham  took  the 
halter  rope  and  just  wrapped  it  around  the  root  of  a  sage- 
brush, but  did  not  tie  it.  He  took  his  overcoat  and  hung  it 
on  the  saddle  horn.  Hooker  Jim  watched  Meacham  all  the 
time.  After  Meacham  sat  down  on  a  rock,  Hooker  Jim 
walked  up  to  Meacham's  horse,  took  the  rope  and  made  it 
fast  to  a  big  brush.  Canby,  Thomas  and  Frank  Riddle  did 
not  have  any  horses  to  attend  to.  They  walked  to  the  peace 
tent.  Jack  and  all  his  men  walked  to  the  peace  tent,  also. 
The  Indians  present  in  council  on  that  memorable  day  were, 
namely,  Capt.  Jack,  chief;  John  Schonchin,  sub-chief; 
Black  Jim,  policeman ;  Hooker  Jim,  Boston  Charley,  Bogus 
Charley  and  Slolux,  or  Elulk  Salt-ako. 

The  council  opened,  the  Commisioners  sitting  from  left 
to  right:  Gen.  E.  R.  S.  Canby,  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas,  Mrs.  Tobey 
Riddle,  interpreter;  Col.  A.  B.  Meacham,  Frank  Riddle,  in- 
terpreter ;  L.  S.  Dyar.  Capt.  Jack  facing  Canby ;  Schonchin 
facing  Meacham;  Boston  Charley  facing  Thomas;  Bo^us 
Charley  facing  Tobey  Riddle;  Black  Jim  facing  F.  Riddle; 
Hooker  Jim  facing  Dyar.  The  other  one  stood  up  back  of 
his  companions. 

Mr.  Canby  opened  up  the  council  by  saying:  "My  Modoc 
friends,  my  heart  feels  good  today.  I  feel  good  because  you 
are  my  friends.  I  know  you  are  my  friends.  We  will  do 
good  work  today.  I  know  you  people  better  every  time  I 
meet  you.  I  know  I  will  be  able  to  make  you  see  things 
right  today.  You  will  see  as  I  see.  I  am  willing  and  ready 
to  help  you  people.  Jack,  I  know  you  are  a  smart  man. 
That  is  the  reason  I  want  you  to  come  to  my  terms  and 
make  peace.  It  is  bad  to  fight.  Be  a  man,  and  live  like  one. 
As  long  as  you  live  in  these  rocks,  you  won't  be  living  like 
a  man.  You  will  be  looked  upon  as  a  bad  man  and,  will  say 
further,  the  Great  Father  at  Washington  said,  1  will  not 
let  Capt.  Jack  live  where  he  is,  in  the  Lava  Beds.  He  has 
been  in  trouble  with  my  children.  I  will  have  to  find  him 
and  his  people  a  new  home,  a  good  home  where  he  won't 

87 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

have  any  more  trouble.'  You  see  the  Great  Father  said  that 
he  has  got  many,  many,  many  soldiers.  He  will  make  you 
go.  He  sent  me,  Dr.  Thomas  and  Meacham  here  to  see  you 
and  talk  good  to  you  and  make  peace.  You  do  what  I  want 
you  to  do.  These  soldiers  won't  shoot  you,  but  if  you  act 
mean  and  won't  listen  to  me  and  these  men  (pointing  at 
Thomas  and  Meacham),  maybe  Great  Father  will  say,  'My 
soldiers,  go  in  Lava  Beds,  get  Capt.  Jack  and  all  his  people, 
make  him  come  out.'  If  you  kill  all  these  soldiers  the  Great 
Father  will  send  more  soldiers.  Next  time  you  cannot  kill 
all  of  them.  Now,  best  thing  you  can  do  is  to  come  out  of 
these  rocks  with  me.  I  won't  let  the  soldiers  hurt  you.  What 
do  you  say?  I  want  you  to  talk  now;  use  sense  this  time. 
Jack,  you  understand  everything  good  now.  The  white 
man's  law  is  straight  and  strong.  What  I  say  is  law;  that  is, 
if  you  and  I  agree  on  anything." 

Capt.  Jack's  answer:  ''Gen  Canby,  your  law  is  as  crooked 
as  this"  (holding  up  a  sagebrush  twig).  "The  agreements 
you  make  is  as  crooked  as  this"  (making  a  mark  with  his 

finger  in  the  dirt  like  this ) ,  "Less  than  one  month 

ago  you  made  a  compact  with  me  that  you  would  not  com- 
mit no  act  of  war  on  your  side,  if  I  would  not  on  my  side  as 
long  as  we  held  these  peace  councils.  I  have  not  committed 
any  act  of  war  on  my  side  yet,  have  I  ?"  "No,"  said  Canby. 
"What  have  I  done?  Tell  me,"  said  Canby.  "Gen.  Canby, 
the  first  thing  you  and  your  soldiers  did,  you  moved  your 
whole  army  from  Fairchild's  to  Vanbrimer's  and  on  the 
same  day  stole  part  of  our  ponies  and  refused  to  give  them 
back.  The  next  thing  you  did  you  all  moved  right  under  my 
nose,  more  soldiers  arriving  every  three  or  four  days,  bring- 
ing big  guns  that  shoots  balls  as  big  as  your  head.  Does 
that  look  like  peace  ?  No,  many  times  no.  You  have  broken 
your  compact  with  me.  Do  you  think  that  I  can't  see  what's 
going  on?  How  do  you,  or  can  you,  expect  me  to  believe 
you  now?  Since  I  have  learned  that  you  are  not  a  man  of 
your  word;  if  a  man  goes  back  on  one  thing  he  will  on 
another.  Take  away  your  soldiers;  take  away  your  big 
guns,  and  then  we  can  talk  peace.    Either  do  that  or  give 


-T„    1    <5,,r.Dlies  for  the  U.  S.  troops  were  all  brought  irom   ireKa,  ^aiuormar 

!^^t„  the  lava  Beds  during  the  Modoc  War,  which  occurred  in  the  northeastern  part  of 

;:kiyou  county?  Calltoml  near  the  Modoc  county  line.    B^e  killing  of  the  Peace  Comm.s- 

"l"!  ThisTXt  *fMol7s%:mpefwhen  they  were  brought  back  in  1869,  This  point 
^on  the  east  side  of  Klamath  Lake,  on  the  Klamath  Reservation,  Oregon,  and  ^  about  19 

'Nt.r™fp^'cT?s\her|-the  four  Modocs  were  hung.    It  is  about  37  miles  north  of 

lamath  Falls,  Oregon. 


No  4   This  place  is  known  as  the  gap  at  Lost  River,  Oregon,  where  Curley  Haired  Jack. 

No.  5   This  '= Ji^<^';S ,\f  5^^/J  is  southeast  of  the  town  of  Merrill,  Oregon,  and  near  the 
SSnfa  boundlry  to"  fndTs  also  The  place  where  they  lived  before  they  were  removed 

'°No°t  TOi"l  wher'e  the  Modoc  prisoners  now  reside  (at  Yainax). 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

me  a  home  at  Hot  Creek.  Do  not  tell  me  of  your  beautiful 
country,  away  off.  Hot  Creek  is  good  enough  for  me.  I 
want  to  tell  you,  Canby,  we  cannot  make  peace  as  long  as 
these  soldiers  are  crowding  me.  If  you  even  promise  me  a 
home,  somewhere  in  this  country,  promise  me  today;  al- 
though your  word  is  not  much  good,  I  am  willing  to  take 
you  at  your  promise.  Thomas  and  Meacham  will  make  it 
stronger  if  they  promise  with  you.  Now,  Canby,  promise 
me.  I  want  nothing  else.  Now  is  your  chance."  Hooker 
Jim  got  up,  walked  up  to  Meacham's  horse ;  he  took  Meach- 
am's  overcoat;  he  put  his  left  arm  in  the  sleeve.  All  this 
time  he  never  took  his  eyes  off  Meacham.  He  got  his  other 
arm  in  the  other  sleeve.  He  drew  the  coat  on  easy,  until  the 
coat  was  pretty  well  on  his  shoulders.  Then  he  jerked  it 
on  himself  with  a  quick  move,  buttoned  it  up,  and  walked 
up  to  the  crowd,  striking  himself  on  the  breast  and  said, 
"Me  Meacham  now."  Mr.  Meacham  pulled  his  hat  off  and 
offered  it  to  Hooker  Jim,  saying:  "Here,  Jim,  take  my  hat 
and  put  it  on,  then  you  will  be  Meacham."  Hooker  Jim 
says:  "All  lite,  me  get  him  hat  puty  quick,  no  hurry.  You 
keep  while,  him  hat  mine,  you  see  by-n-by."  All  the  other 
people  did  not  say  a  word  while  Meacham  and  Hooker  Jim 
was  talking. 

Capt.  Jack  commenced  his  talk  again:  "Canby,  do  you 
agree  to  what  I  ask  of  you  or  not?  Tell  me.  I  am  tired 
waiting  for  you  to  speak." 

Meacham  to  Canby:  "General,  for  heaven's  sake  promise 
him."  Just  then  Capt.  Jack  got  up  and  walked  behind 
Meacham's  horse.     Schonchin  says  to  Meacham: 

"Meacher,  Meacher,  give  us  Hot  Creek  for  our  future 
home.    Give  us  Hot  Creek,  I  say,  Meacher!" 

Meacham  said :  "I  will  ask  the  Great  Father  at  Washing- 
ton for  you  people." 

Jack  was  back,  standing  right  in  front  of  Canby.  Before 
Tobey  could  interpret  what  Meacham  said,  Capt.  Jack  said : 

''Ut  wih  kutt  (let's  do  it) ,  or,  "all  ready."  He  pulled  his 
pistol,  as  he  said  the  words.  Canby  raised  his  face  to  see 
Jack.     The  cap  snapped.     He  drew  the  hammer  back  and 

90 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

pulled  the  trigger  again.  The  pistol  fired.  The  ball  struck 
Canby  under  the  right  eye.  Canby  jumped  to  his  feet  and 
started  to  run.  He  had  not  more  than  started  when  Bogus 
Charley  tripped  and  threw  him  down  and  cut  his  throat. 
Boston  shot  Dr.  Thomas  just  about  the  time  Canby  was 
shot.  He  was  hit  in  the  right  breast,  the  bullet  ranging 
downward.  The  doctor  fell  over  backwards,  caught  him- 
self on  his  left  hand,  held  his  right  hand  up,  and  said  to 
Boston  Charley:  "Boston,  don't  shoot  me  any  more,  I  have 
got  my  death  wound;  I  will  die  anyway."  Boston  said:  "Oh! 
you  debel,  you  bleave  squaw.  Now  bleave  squaw,  now  I 
guess,  eh?'''(  Thomas  says:  "Yes,  yes,  I  believe  her;  she 
told  the  truth."  Boston  pushed  Thomas  over  on  his  back 
and  asked  him  why  God  didn't  help  him.  Thomas  covered 
his  face  with  both  hands  and  died  with  these  words  on  his 
lips:  "Oh,  Lord,  have  mercy  on  my  poor  sinful  soul." 

Meacham  was  shot  about  the  same  instant  that  Canby 
and  Thomas  was,  by  Schonchin.  His  aim  was  good,  but 
Tobey  sprung  to  her  feet  and  struck  Schonchin's  pistol  to 
one  side.  Meacham  was  hit  in  the  left  shoulder  the  first 
shot.  Tobey  was  right  side  of  Schonchin,  striking  his  arm, 
and  then  his  back.  Schonchin  could  not  get  a  good  aim  at 
Meacham,  Tobey  bothered  so.  She  was  saying:  "Spare  his 
life ;  he  is  your  friend.  He  is  the  only  one  that  believed  me 
when  I  told  him  about  what  you  men  are  doing  now."  She 
finally  struck  Schonchin  in  the  breast,  knocking  him  down. 
Schonchin  said:  "Beware,  woman,  I  may  forget  that  you 
are  a  woman."  Tobey  said:  "Kill  me  if  you  want  to,  you 
coward."  Finally  Meacham  fell  to  the  ground,  shot  seven 
times,  but  none  of  the  wounds  were  real  serious, 

Frank  Riddle  and  Dyar  both  jumped  right  out  on  a  run 
for  their  lives  when  Capt.  Jack's  pistol  misfired.  When  the 
first  shot  was  fired  both  Shaknasty  Jim  and  Boncho  came 
running  up  with  three  or  four  rifles  apiece.  Shaknasty  Jim 
dropped  all  the  guns  but  one,  took  after  Frank  Riddle,  fired 
his  rifle  at  him,  emptied  his  revolver  at  him,  and  chased 
him  about  three  hundred  yards  and  gave  up.     Riddle  was 

fEh  means  "you"  in  Modoc. 

91 


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j  I 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

too  fast  for  him.  Hooker  Jim  ran  Dyar  about  four  hundred 
yards,  shot  several  times  at  him,  but  did  not  hit  him.  Dyar 
beat  him  farther  and  farther.  Jim  gave  him  up  and  re- 
turned to  the  council  tent.  The  Indians  stripped  their  vic- 
tims of  all  their  clothes  except  the  underclothes.  Tobey 
fought  to  prevent  the  Indians  from  taking  Col.  Meacham's 
clothes,  so  they  only  took  his  two  coats  and  vest.  Capt. 
Jack  got  Canby's  uniform  and  sword.r  Boston  Charley,  Dr. 
Thomas'  gray  suit.  Hooker  Jim,  Meacham's  two  coats  and 
vest,  also  his  horse.  Bogus  Charley  secured  Mr.  Dyar's 
white  horse.  Boncho  got  Tobey's  horse.  He  was  trying  to 
mount  when  Tobey  saw  him.  He  was  cursing  the  saddle 
because  it  had  horns.  The  saddle  was  a  ladies'  side  saddle. 
Boncho  had  just  got  on  the  horse  and  was  working  with  the 
halter  rope.  Tobey  rushed  up  to  him,  caught  his  coat,  and 
pulled  him  off  and  threw  him  to  the  ground,  saying:  "Bon- 
cho, you  shall  not  take  my  animal."  Boncho  jumped  to  his 
feet,  picked  his  gun  up  from  where  it  had  fallen,  swung  it 
around  his  head  and  struck  Tobey  between  the  shoulders. 
The  blow  knocked  Tobey  down  on  her  face.  He  said:  "You 
white  man's  sister,  I'll  leave  you  among  your  dead  brothers 
if  you  bother  me  again."  He  turned  to  see  about  the  horse 
again.  Tobey  staggered  to  her  feet ;  she  grasped  a  rock  and 
dealt  Boncho  a  blow  in  the  back  with  the  rock.  Boncho 
fell  to  his  knees.  Tobey  said:  "You  coward,  you  cannot 
fight  your  equal.  You  will  not  take  my  animal;  kill  me 
first."  Boncho  turned  with  his  gun  to  his  shoulder,  saying: 
"I  will  kill  you."  "No,  you  won't,"  he  heard  some  one  say, 
right  by  his  ear.  At  the  same  time  a  heavy  hand  fell  on 
his  arm.  Boncho  turned  his  head ;  he  saw  a  pistol  pointed 
in  his  face,  in  the  hand  of  Capt.  Jack.  "Boncho,"  Jack  said, 
"if  it  was  not  for  the  good  you  will  do  in  our  war  against 
the  whites,  I  would  blow  your  head  off  and  leave  you  right 
here  to  rot,  you  coward.  What  do  you  mean  by  striking 
that  woman?  If  you  ever  say  another  word  to  her  I  will 
kill  you  now.  Take  that  rope  and  hand  it  to  Tobey."  Bon- 
cho obeyed  without  saying  a  word.  He  immediately  hiked 
for  the  Modoc  camp.    The  Indians  all  walked  up  to  Tobey 

93 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

to  bid  her,  as  they  said,  their  last  farewell.  Capt.  Jack 
said:  "Tobey,  I  have  thrown  myself  and  life  away  today.  I 
did  something  today  that  I  thought  I  would  never  do,  but 
I  have  done  it.  I  killed  an  unarmed  man.  I  know  I  will  be 
killed,  but  when  1  fall  there  will  be  soldiers  under  me.  Tell 
Gillem,  if  he  wants  to  find  me,  to  come  right  over  yonder," 
pointing  in  the  direction  of  his  cave.  "Tell  him  not  to  go 
way  off  in  the  mountains  to  look  for  me.  He  won't  find  me 
in  the  moun- 
tains. I  will 
be  in  camp 
with  my 
people.  Tell 
him  I  will  be 
ready  at  any 
time  to  re- 
ceive h  i  m 
and  his  sol- 
diers. I  am 
not  afraid  to 
die.  I  have 
committed  a 
great  wrong, 
but  I  was 
forced  to  do 
it  by  my 
men,  and  al- 
so by  Canby 
himself.  He 
did  not  talk 
straight  to 
me." 

Boston 


Panorama  of  the  Lava  Beds,  To  the  left  is  the  U.  S. 
hospital.  To  the  right  are  General  Gillem's  and  the 
officers'  quarters.  In  the  center  are  Riddle's  camp, 
Charley  La  Booth's  restaurant  and  Pat  McManus'  store. 


Charley  stepped  over  towards  where  Meacham  was  lying, 
face  down,  saying  as  he  went:  "I  guess  I  will  take  Meach- 
am's  scalp  along  to  remember  him  by."  He  took  a  dull 
black  handled  jack  knife  out  of  his  pocket,  a  knife  that  he 
had  taken  from  a  dead  soldier's  pocket  that  had  fallen  Jan- 


94 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

uary  17th,  1873.  He  put  his  foot  on  Meacham's  neck  and 
commenced  the  hard  task  to  secure  for  himself  a  trophy  to 
hang  on  his  belt.  Tobey  went  to  Boston  Charley  and  begged 
him  not  to  cut  his  scalp,  even  if  he  was  dead.  Boston  said  : 
"Leave  me  alone,  Tobey,  he  don't  feel  the  knife."  He  cut 
a  gash  from  his  left  ear  to  the  middle  of  his  two  eyes.  He 
said:  "Old  Meacham,  your  hide  is  tough."  Tobey  was  stay- 
ing the  hands  of  Boston  all  she  could.  She  saw  that  Boston 

would  surely  scalp 
Meacham.  All  at 
once  she  jumped 
away  from  Boston, 
clapped  her  hands, 
and  shouted  in  Mo- 
doc, "Ut  nah  shol- 
gars  kep  ko'^  (now 
the  soldiers  are 
coming)  ;  ^'pelock 
genu  nautf  ( go 
quick,  all  of  you). 
The  Indians  start- 
ed at  once,  running 
as  fast  as  they 
could  go.  None  of 
them  even  looked 
to  see  if  the  sol- 
diers was  coming. 
Tobey  looked  to- 
wards the  soldiers' 
camp,     but    there 


A  continuation  of  preceding  picture. 


was  not  a  soldier  in  sight  coming  to  rescue  the  Commis- 
sioners. Tobey  got  on  her  knees,  laid  her  hand  over  Canby's 
heart.  It  was  still.  She  said:  "My  poor  friend,  if  you  had 
only  listened  to  me;"  straightened  his  legs,  folded  his  arms 
across  his  noble  breast,  and  left  him.  She  next  examined 
Thomas,  crying  all  the  time,  "You,  too,  are  stilled  in  death, 
poor  man!  You  did  not  take  my  word  because  I  am  a 
squaw."    She  laid  him  out  as  she  did  Canby.    She  walked 


95 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

with  a  heavy  step  to  Meacham.  **My  poor  friend,"  she  said. 
She  took  her  apron  and  wiped  the  blood  from  his  eyes  and 
mouth.  She  stopped  all  at  once  and  looked  at  his  face. 
Meacham's  lips  moved.  She  says,  ''Thank  God,  he  is  alive. 
I  shall  nurse  you  back  to  life."  She  took  her  shawl,  folded 
it,  raised  his  head,  placed  it  under  his  head  as  a  pillow.  She 
took  her  saddle  blankets,  placed  one  under  him  and  one 
over  him.  She  then  mounted  her  horse  and  started  for 
Gillem's  camp  to  get  help  for  Meacham. 

About  half  way  between  the  peace  tent  and  Gillem's 
camp,  soldiers  met  her.  Frank  Riddle  was  with  the  sol- 
diers. Capt.  Hasbrook  asked  Tobey  where  the  Modocs  was. 
Tobey  still  crying,  said:  "The  Modocs  all  left  for  their 
camp.  Canby  and  Thomas  dead;  Meacham  breathing,  but 
not  dead  when  I  left  him.  Maybe  he  is  dead  now.  He  is 
hurt  bad."  The  soldiers  went  out  to  the  scene  of  the  trag- 
edy. Strong  and  willing  hands  lifted  Meacham  on  a  stretch- 
er, he  being  the  first  to  be  brought  to  the  hospital.  Meach- 
am was  conscious  a  little  while  after  being  in  the  hospital. 
The  first  words  he  spoke  was:  "Did  the  Modocs  kill  Tobey? 
She  fought  to  keep  them  off  me.  Did  they  kill  her?"  He 
was  told  that  Tobey  was  not  hurt  bad.  "Thank  God  she  is 
alive.  I  know  Tobey  will  not  let  me  die.  She  will  save  me 
yet."  Tobey  went  into  the  hospital  just  as  the  doctor  was 
in  the  act  of  cutting  Meacham's  finger  off.  Tobey  told  the 
doctor  not  to  use  a  knife  on  Meacham.  "His  finger  can  be 
saved  if  you  will  let  me  take  Mr.  Meacham.  I  will  nurse 
him  and  bring  him  through  all  right."  Her  wish  was  grant- 
ed ;  she  took  charge  of  Meacham  and  in  two  weeks  she  had 
him  able  to  walk  around,  and  in  another  week  sent  him 
home  to  his  wife  in  Salem,  Oregon. 


96 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


iferi;  ^^r^^^ 

i 

U      :  '     J 

Sitting  on  top  of  the  rocks,  reading  from  left  to  right:  1.  Surgeon  J.  O. 
Skinner,  Major  U.  S.  Ret.  Living  in  Washington,  D.  C.  2.  Lieut.  E.  S. 
Chapin,  4th  Artillery.  Died  May  3,  1899.  3.  Capt.  H.  C.  Hasbrouck,  4th 
Artillery.  Died  Dec.  17,  1910.  This  officer  had  charge  of  the  Modoc 
prisoners  while  en  route  to  Fort  McPherson,  Neb.  4.  Doctor  Thomas  T. 
Cabaniss,  4th  Artillery,  A.  A.  Surgeon.  Died  July,  1897.  Father  of  Judge 
Cabaniss  of  the  Superior  Court  of  the  City  of  San  Francisco.  5.  Capt. 
James  Jackson,  1st  Cavalry,  now  Colonel  U.  S.  A.  Living  in  Portland, 
Oregon. 

Second  row,  left  to  right:  6.  Capt.  John  Mendenhall,  4th  Artillery. 
Died  July  1,  1892.  7.  Lieut.  E.  T.  Theller,  21st  Infantry.  Died  June  17, 
1877.  Lieut  W.  H.  Miller,  1st  Cavalry.  Died  April  11,  1913.  9.  Major  G. 
J.  Lydecker,  Engineers.  Brig.  Gen.  Ret.    Living  in  Detroit,  Mich. 

Bottom  row,  left  to  right,  all  sitting:  10.  Lieut  J.  G.  Kyle,  1st  Cavalry, 
Died  March  30,  1877.  11.  Capt.  C.  B.  Throckmorton,  4th  Artillery.  12. 
Lieut  H.  De  W.  Moore,  21st  Infantry  .  Died  May  10,  1878.  13.  Dr.  Ster- 
ling, A.  A.  Surgeon.  14.  Capt.  G.  H.  Burton,  21st  Infantry.  15.  Lieut.  J. 
M.  Ross,  21st  Infantry.    Died  March  10,  1884. 

The  rank  of  all  these  officers  is  that  which  they  held  during  the  Modoc 
War. 

97 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  X 


Troops  advance  on  the  Modocs  April  14th. — Hard  battle  for  three  days. — 
Indians  show  good  marksmanship  first  three  days  of  fighting. — In- 
dians vacate  their  caves  the  night  of  April  18th,  1873. — April  26th, 
Wright  and  his  company  move  on  the  Indians.— Troops  routed. 

The  troops  did  not  advance  on  the  Modocs  till  the  third 
day  after  the  massacre.  When  the  soldiers  were  within 
half  a  mile  of  the  stronghold,  their  advance  was  checked  or 
stopped  by  a  heavy  rifle  volley.  The  Modocs  had  been  lying 
in  wait  for  the  soldiers,  so  the  consequences  were  the  Mo- 
docs fired  the  first  volley.  Seven  or  eight  soldiers  was 
killed.  Every  man  was  hit  either  in  the  head  or  neck  during 
the  first  three  days  of  fighting  after  the  killing  of  the 
Peace  Commissioners.  No  Indian  was  killed  or  wounded  in 
action  during  the  three  days'  fighting.  The  troops  with- 
drew out  of  danger.  The  Modocs  still  held  their  ground  and 
breastworks.  No  firing  on  either  side,  but  all  the  while 
when  there  was  no  firing  between  the  foes  the  soldiers  was 
building  breastworks  or  forts  under  cover  of  darkness  and 
after  the  breastworks  was  completed  the  boys  in  blue  oc- 
cupied them. 

One  morning,  just  as  the  sun  was  peeping  over  the  moun- 
tains, April  16,  1873,  after  a  long  night  of  desultory  firing 
on  both  sides,  some  of  the  soldier  boys  saw  an  old  squaw 
half  walking  and  crawling  towards  the  lake.  The  soldiers 
fired  several  shots  at  her,  but  the  deadly  bullets  all  went 
wild.  She  was  determined  to  get  to  the  lake;  water  was 
what  she  wanted.  She  was  choking  for  it.  When  she  was 
just  within  a  few  more  steps  of  the  precious  beverage,  a 
heavy  hand  fell  on  her  shoulder.  She  stopped  and  turned. 
She  saw  standing  by  her  side  a  soldier  with  his  gun  point- 
ing at  her  head.  She  was  captured  and  taken  a  prisoner.  He 
was  an  Irishman.  Pat  made  her  go  inside  of  his  breast- 
works, where  his  companions  were  trying  to  get  a  shot  at 
some  Indians  they  may  happen  to  see.  He  made  the  old 
squaw  sit  down.    He  gave  her  water.  The  old  squaw  seemed 

98 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

to'  be  satisfied  for  the  while.  Pat  and  his  comrades  were 
congratulating  one  another  for  their  great  success  in  mak- 
ing this  capture.  They  was  very  much  elated,  because  they 
had  a  Modoc  prisoner  in  their  possession.  During  this  time 
the  troops  had  been  getting  or  putting  cannons  or  mortars 
in  position.  After  the  soldiers  got  everything  ready,  they 
began  to  throw  shells  in  and  around  the  stronghold,  that 
drew  a  heavy  rifle  fire  from  the  Indians  for  just  a  few  min- 
utes. The  old  squaw  could  not  sit  still  any  longer.  She 
jumped  to  her  feet,  and  gave  a  genuine  Modoc  war  whoop 
which  nearly  chilled  the  blood  in  Pat's  veins.  She  threw 
herself  against  Pat's  stone  wall.  It  fell  to  the  ground.  Pat 
says :  ''Me  Royal  Queen,  don't  yer  do  the  loikes  again,  or  by 
the  Saints,  I'll  hammer  yer  doirty  head."  Pat  and  his  com- 
rades rebuilt  their  fort.  They  had  not  more  than  finished 
their  job,  when  down  went  the  rock  wall  again.  The  old 
squaw  had  knocked  or  rather  pushed  it  down  the  second 
time.  Modoc  bullets  was  flying  pretty  thick  about  Pat's 
head  by  this  time.  Pat's  Irish  blood  was  up  in  great  shape. 
Just  then  he  grabbed  his  gun  by  the  muzzle,  swung  it  over 
his  head,  saying:  *'Yer  doirty  blackguard,  I'll  learn  yer  to 
knock  me  fort  down."  He  dealt  the  old  squaw  a  blow  on  the 
side  of  her  head.  The  lick  crushed  or  fractured  her  skull, 
so  she  expired  almost  instantly. 

Pat,  in  dealing  the  blow,  broke  his  Springfield  rifle,  so  it 
was  useless.  He  laid  all  day  behind  a  part  of  his  breast- 
works and  other  rocks  gunless.  Along  in  the  evening,  when 
the  Modoc  firing  had  quieted  down,  Pat  crawled  over  to 
where  his  victim  was  lying,  face  down,  dead.  He  took  his 
jack  knife  and  cut  seven  or  eight  pieces  of  skin  and  hair  off 
the  old  woman's  head^  ranging  in  size  from  a  quarter  of  a 
dollar  to  a  silver  dollar.  He  gave  them  all  to  his  comrades, 
but  one.  He  kept  it  for  himself,  and  after  Pat's  company 
was  called  in  from  the  front,  Pat  and  his  comrades  took 
great  pride  in  showing  the  scalps  to  the  other  boys  in  blue 
who  had  not  been  so  successful  in  killing  Modocs.  Pat 
would  say  when  he  would  be  showing  the  piece  he  had, 
"Every  piece  or  scalp  we  have  represents  one  Modoc  warrior 

99 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


EUGENE  HOVEY 

Born  in  Yreka,  California; 
aged  21.  Left  a  mother,  fa- 
ther and  brothers  to  mourn 
his  loss. 


)- 


Hel,l.ePv 


HOTCBAPHMa, 


The  Modoc  men,  Hooker 
Jim  and  Bogus  Charley,  did 
a  very  bad  and  cowardly 
act  when  they  killed  young 
Hovey  of  Yreka,  California. 
Hovey's  parents  lived  in 
Yreka  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  They  were  both 
highly  respected  people.  I 
knew  them  in  them  days. 
Young  Hovey  was  killed 
about  11  a.  m,,  April  18, 
1873.  He  was  nothmg  but 
a  boy.  He  boarded  with  us. 
He  had  been  working  with 
his  two  horses  three  or  four 
days  for  the  Government 
officers.  He  would  pack  one  horse  and  ride  the  other,  and  go  to  the 
front  twice  a  day.  I  do  not  know  what  he  was  packing,  as  I  never  learnt. 
I  think  it  was  cartridges  and  other  stuff. 

The  reason  I  say  it  was  a  cowardly  thing  to  kill  him,  he  was  not  fight- 
ing the  Modocs.  He  did  not  carry  even  a  pistol.  He  was  a  good  boy; 
everybody  liked  him.  He  never  had  much  to  say;  he  never  mixed  up  in 
anyone's  affairs,  he  always  attended  to  his  own  business.  The  poor, 
faithful  boy  died  an  untimely  death.  The  two  bloodthirsty  demons  that 
killed  him  was  not  satisfied  with  the  killing  of  him,  so  they  went  to  work 
and  crushed  his  head  with  a  big  stone,  also  disfigured  his  body  and  cut 
his  stomach  open  and  let  his  bowels  out.  If  the  young  boy  had  been 
out  fighting  them  it  would  not  have  been  so  bad.  But  he  was  not  fight- 
ing them.  Of  course,  some  Indians  has  been  badly  handled  by  white 
men.  But  that  was  no  cause  that  they  should  kill  this  innocent  boy  who 
was  harming  no  one. 

I  think  there  is  some  of  his  people  living  in  Yreka,  California. 

100 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR     ..    _,    .  .    ... 

that  we  killed.  Begorra,  boys,  every  time  I  fired  M  me  In- 
jun, I  got  him  sure.  The  Modoc  hounds  w^Jl  not  i^.i^t  lr«ng 
when  I  get  after  them.  Begorra,  I  can  whip  any  ten  of 
them  anywhere.  I  know  it,  and  begorra,  I'll  prove  it  to  you 
boys  before  this  war  is  over  with."  Pat  was  a  very  brave 
man  and  a  crack  shot,  to  hear  him  talk ;  but  in  a  few  days, 
after  Pat's  company  was  called  or  was  going  to  be  sent  to 
the  front  again  at  roll-call.  Pat  did  not  answer  to  his  name. 
He  had  deserted ;  no  one  knew  where  he  went  to.  I  met  the 
brave  Indian  fighter  seven  or  eights  months  after  he  killed 
the  old  squaw.  He  was  chopping  wood  for  Frank  Sloniker, 
near  Hawkinsville,  California,  at  two  dollars  per  cord.  I 
presume  he  thought  it  was  better  to  chop  wood  for  small 
pay,  than  to  fight  and  slaughter  Modocs  for  a  great  name. 
We  will  now  go  back  to  the  evening  of  April  17.  After 
dusk  the  soldiers  commenced  shelling  the  Indian  camp. 
They  were  trying  to  locate  their  breastworks  by  the  flash 
of  the  Indians'  firearms,  when  they  would  discharge  their 
guns.  The  Modocs  soon  quit  firing.  They  saw  that  every 
time  one  of  them  fired,  it  would  draw  a  heavy  rifle  fire 
from  their  enemy;  also  the  mortars  were  trained  on  the 
Indians'  fire,  so  the  Indians  quit  firing  altogether.  The  sol- 
diers kept  up  rifle  firing,  off  and  on  all  night.  The  next 
morning,  when  the  sun  threw  its  bright  rays  over  the 
country,  the  few  Modoc  braves  still  held  their  position. 
Battle  raged  all  day.  The  Modocs  were  pressed  on  all  sides. 
They  did  not  shoot  as  true  as  they  did  in  their  first  three 
days'  firing;  being  pressed,  they  had  to  shoot  in  a  hurry. 
Quite  a  few  soldiers  were  brought  to  General  Gillem's  camp 
wounded,  some  dead.  One  company  after  another  charged 
the  Indians'  breastworks  and  natural  fortifications,  but 
were  repulsed.  Just  as  often  as  they  charged,  the  reds  held 
their  ground  in  good  order,  day  after  day.  Their  women 
and  children  were  all  in  a  long  cave  about  the  center  of 
their  camp  ground.  The  deadly  mortar  shell  and  Springfield 
rifle  bullets  was  harmless  to  them.  They  was  all  safe  for  the 
time  being.  The  mortar  shells  and  rifle  bullets  could  not 
penetrate  the  rock  walls  and  craggy  rocks  that  protected 

101 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

the  long  cave  that  the  women  and  children  occupied.  Never 
an  Ind?aii  could  the  boys  in  blue  see.  All  they  could  do  while 
in  their  breastworks  was  to  fire  at  the  place  where  they  saw 
the  puff  of  smoke  made,  whenever  the  Modoc  fired  with  his 
Springfield  rifle.  They  had  the  same  kind  of  fire  arms  that 
the  soldiers  had,  as  they  had  captured  plenty  of  guns  in 
their  former  battles  with  the  soldiers.  The  first  Indians 
killed  happened  a  day  or  so  before  the  Modocs  vacated  their 
forts  and  cave.  One  afternoon,  the  date  I  cannot  tell,  two 
young  braves  were  sitting  in  the  long  cave  where  the  wo- 
men and  children  were  eating  dried  beef.  They  had  been 
out  all  morning  in  the  line  of  battle  and  had  also  been  on 
guard  all  night  without  food.  They  were  hungry.  Some  one 
saw  what  they  called  the  big  soldiers'  bullets  fall  near  the 
entrance  of  the  cave.  The  shell  rolled  over  a  few  times  and 
settled  against  a  rock  and  did  not  explode.  The  two  young 
braves  were  eager  to  examine  the  bullet.  They  wanted  to 
see  how  and  what  it  was  made  of,  or  what  there  was  about 
the  big  bullet  that  caused  it  to  make  so  much  noise  when  it 
would  explode.  One  of  the  two  ran  out  and  secured  the 
shell.  He  took  it  in  the  cave  where  the  women  and  children 
were.  The  women  made  the  young  fellows  take  it  out  of 
the  cave.  They  told  them  it  might  explode.  If  it  did,  it 
would  kill  nearly  all  of  them  in  the  caves,  so  the  fellows 
laid  the  shell  down  between  them  and  began  to  pound  it 
with  rocks.  They  could  not  do  anything  with  it,  so  one  of 
them  went  in  the  cave  and  got  an  old  ax  and  file.  He  joined 
his  chum  again.  One  took  the  file  and  commenced  to  file 
on  the  plug  of  the  shell.  The  squaws  was  calling  at  them 
all  the  while  to  quit,  as  they  might  get  hurt.  They  both 
said  the  soldiers'  big  bullet  was  dead.  It  would  hurt  no  one ; 
no  danger  at  all.  One  of  them  got  the  axe,  told  his  chum  to 
stand  back.  He  says,  'I'll  hit  it  with  the  ax,  I  think  it  will 
break  easy,"  so  he  drew  back  and  struck  the  shell  with  all 
his  strength.  The  lick  caused  the  shell  to  explode.  All  the 
Indians  recovered  of  the  two  young  braves  was  their  heads 
and  one  foot.  Both  heads  was  brought  into  Gillem's  head- 
quarters by  some  of  the  soldier  boys.  I  went  and  viewed 

102 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

them.  One  soldier  asked  me  if  I  recognized  the  faces.  I  told 
him  that  I  did.  He  asked  who  or  what  Indians  the  heads 
belonged  to.  I  told  them  that  they  were  two  young  men's 
heads.  I  told  him  one  was  Shaknasty  Jim's  brother's  head, 
and  the  other  one,  I  knew  him,  but  I  did  not  know  his  rela- 
tions, nor  his  name.  Another  soldier  said  to  me,  "I  guess 
you  do  not  know  these  heads.  I'll  tell  you  what  Indians 
these  heads  belonged  to.  One  is  Scarface  Charley's  head  and 
the  other  one  is  Bogus  Charley's."  I  told  him  that  I  could 
not  be  mistaken;  I  knew  what  I  was  saying.  Now,  kind 
reader,  I  have  never  forgotten  the  look  that  soldier  gave 
me  or  the  words  he  said  to  me.  He  said:  "It's  a  pity  you 
are  not  in  Capt.  Jack's  camp  right  now.  I  wish  you  was 
there  so  I  could  draw  a  bead  on  you  and  let  drive."  I  said: 
'I'm  here  in  Mr.  Gillem's  camp.  I  do  not  see  why  you  can- 
not draw  a  bead  on  me  here  and  let  drive."  He  said  nothing, 
only  scowled  at  me. 

Father  and  mother  came  up  about  the  time  the  soldiers 
quit  looking  at  me.  Father  and  mother  both  knew  the  heads, 
and  told  who  they  were.  Any  way,  the  soldiers  had  their 
own  way  about  the  heads.  The  word  was  sent  broadcast 
that  Scarface  Charley  and  Bogus  Charley  had  been  killed. 
Their  heads  brought  in,  of  course  the  soldier  boys  rushed 
up  from  all  directions  to  see  the  noted  warrior's  heads. 
Some  would  give  one  of  the  heads  a  vicious  kick  and  say: 
"Hello,  you  black  demon.  How  do  you  like  this?"  It  looked 
rather  silly  to  me  for  civilized  men  to  kick  a  powder- 
smoked  Indian^  head  from  one  place  to  another  and  ask 
that  head  how  he  liked  it.  Kind  reader,  there  is  some  awful 
people  in  this  world,  but  anyhow  the  news  that  the  two 
noted  warriors,  Scarface  Charley  and  Bogus  Charley  had 
been  killed  in  action,  went  from  one  city  to  another,  all 
over  the  United  States.  It  was  all  a  mistake.  Scarface 
Charley  died  near  Quapaw  agency,  Indian  Territory,  now 
Oklahoma,  in  the  year  1896.  Bogus  Charley  died  near  Lew- 
istown,  Idaho,  aboard  a  passenger  train,  on  his  way  to 
visit  his  sister,  Kate  Duffie,  who  resided  in  Lewiston  at 
that  time.  I  just  mention  these  facts  to  show  the  public 

103 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

that  many  rumors  about  Indians  that  is  history  today  is 
false. 

The  last  hard  battle  the  Modocs  fought  in  and  around 
their  fortified  caves,  was  sometime  in  the  latter  part  of 
April,  1873.  I  am  unable  to  get  or  remember  the  exact 
dates.  The  Modocs  had 
contested  every  inch  of 
ground  that  forenoon 
against  the  soldier 
boys.  The  soldiers  was 
closing  in  on  the  Mo- 
docs from  all  sides. 
The  Modocs  were  hard 
pressed  all  day.  They 
knew  they  would  not 
be  able  to  stand  the 
soldier  boys  off  much 
longer,  as  their  ammu- 
nition was  almost  ex- 
hausted. Scarface 
Charley  sent  a  runner 
to  each  and  every  man. 
The  runner  came  back 
to  Scarface  Charley  and 
reported  that  no  one 
had  been  killed  or 
wounded  since  the  two 
boys  was  killed  by  the 
mortar  shell.  Scarface 
Charley  was  not  satis- 
fied with  the  report.  He 
told  the  runner  to  stay 
in  his  place  and  hold  it 
by  all  means  while  he 
himself    went    or    got 


Ellen,  Scar  Faced,  and  James  Rhodes 
Charley,  wife  and  son.  Both  died  at  Qua- 
paw  Agency,  Oklahoma.  Ellen  Scar 
Faced's  wife,  was  the  mother  of  Mrs. 
Minnie  Robbins,  who  returned  with  her 
husband  from  Quapaw  a  few  years  ago 
to  the  Yainax,  Klamath  Indian  Reserva- 
tion, Oregon,  where  they  now  reside. 


among  the  warriors  to  see  just  how  they  were  fixed  for 
cartridges.  Rifle  firing  was  in  full  blast  all  the  time  on 
both  sides.    Scarface  made  the  round;  was  telling  the  run- 


104 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

ner  or  his  comrade  that  their  comrades  just  had  twenty- 
rounds  to  a  person  left.  He  was  telling  his  comrades  not  to 
shoot  without  he  had  a  soldier  to  shoot  at.  Just  then  an 
officer,*  hat  in  one  hand  and  a  sword  in  the  other,  leaned 
up  on  a  rock  not  more  than  twenty  steps  from  Scarface 
Charley,  and  four  or  five  other  Modocs  that  were  stationed 
near  him.  The  officer  was  saying,  "Come  on,  my  boys; 
let's  rush  them  Modocs  wherever  they  are.  Come  on;  we 
will  find  them!"  The  officer's  name  was  Major  Green.  A 
braver  man  never  drew  the  breath  of  life.  When  the  Major 
leaped  on  the  rock,  every  Modoc  that  could  see  him,  drew 
a  bead  on  him  and  fired,  but  he  still  stood  on  the  rock, 
waving  his  hat  and  sword,  calling:  "Come  on,  my  boys!" 
Every  warrior  that  could  see  him  was  doing  his  best  to 
drop  him,  but  all  in  vain.  Every  soldier  that  jumped  up  on 
the  rock  that  the  major  was  standing  on,  waving  his  sword, 
fell  back,  either  killed  or  wounded.  The  officer  finally 
jumped  off  the  rock  out  of  sight  of  the  frightened  Modoc 
braves.  They  were  talking  about  the  spirit  officer  that 
night.  They  all  agreed  that  he  was  not  a  man  in  flesh.  He 
was  a  spirit,  that  was  the  reason  they  could  not  hit  him. 
Scai-face  Charley  said :  "I  was  not  scared ;  I  was  not  afraid ; 
I  took  good  aim  at  that  officer.  I  can't  see  why  I  did  not 

*Brigadier  General  John  Green  served  in  the  Union  Army  during  the 
Civil  War,  and  received  the  above  promotion,  1890,  for  gallant  services  in 
action  against  Indians  in  the  Lava  Beds,  California,  January  17th,  1873, 
and  for  conspicuous  gallantry  in  the  several  engagements  during  the 
Modoc  War.  Awarded  medal  of  honor  November  4,  1897,  for  most  dis- 
tinguished gallantry  in  action  against  hostile  Modoc  Indians,  at  the  Lava 
Beds,  January  17th,  1873,  in  exposing  himself  in  the  most  fearless  manner 
to  very  great  danger  by  walking  in  front  of  the  line,  when  the  men  hesi- 
tated to  go  forward,  as  ordered,  and  reassuring  the  command,  which  then 
advanced  upon  the  Indians,  who  were  concealed  among  the  rocks  and 
fighting  from  behind  their  natural  fortifications,  while  serving  as  a  Major 
of  First  Cavalry. 

General  Green  died  Nov.  22,  1908. 

April  20th,  1873. 

Where  all  have  done  their  duty  so  well  it  would  seem  invidious  to 
mention  any,  but  I  feel  it  would  be  injustice  not  to  invite  attention  to  the 
coolness,  good  judgment  and  gallant  bearing  of  Major  John  Green,  First 
Cavalry,  whose  conduct  commanded  the  admiration  of  all. 

ALVIN  C.  GILLEM,  Colonel  First  Cavalry. 
Commanding  expedition  to  the  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  Military 
Division  of  the  Pacific,  San  Francisco,  California. 

105 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


Reading  from  left  to  right,  sitting  down  in  front:  1.  Col.  A.  C.  Gillem, 
1st  Cavalry.  Died  Dec.  21,  1875.  2.  Col.  Jeff  C.  Davis,  23rd  Infantry. 
Died  Nov.  30,  1879.  3.  Col.  J.  A.  Hardie,  Inspector  General.  Died  Dec. 
14,  1876.    Major  E.  C.  Mason,  21st  Infantry.    Died  April  30,  1898. 

Second  row,  left  to  right,  sitting  down:  5.  Capt.  Calvin  DeWitt,  Sur- 
geon. Died  Sept.  2,  1908.  6.  Capt.  Henry  McElderry,  Surgeon.  Died 
April  17,  1898.  7.  Capt.  Edwin  Bently,  Surgeon,  Lieut. -Col.  Ret.  Living 
at  Little  Rock,  Ark.  8.  Lieut.  C.  P.  Egan,  12th  Infantry,  Brig.  Gen.  Ret. 
Living  in  New  York  City.  9.  Major  John  Green,  1st  Cavalry.  Died  Nov. 
22,  1908.  i  1 

Standing,  left  to  right  in  the  rear:  10.  Unknown.  11.  Lieut.  G.  G. 
Greenough,  4th  Artillery.  Died  Sept.  21.  1911.  12.  Unknown.  13.  Capt. 
G.  J.  Lydecker,  Engineers,  Brig.  Gen.  Ret.  Living  in  Detroit,  Mich.  14. 
Capt.  Ed.  Field,  4th  Artillery.  Died  Aug.  15,  1906.  15.  Lieut.  Peter  Leary, 
4th  Artillery.  Died  Feb.  13,  1911.  16.  Capt.  E.  V.  Sumner,  1st  Cavalry. 
Died  Aug.  23,  1912.  17.  Lieut.  H.  N.  Moss,  1st  Cavalry.  Living  in  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  18.  Capt.  David  Perry,  1st  Cavalry.  Died  May  18,  1908. 
19.  Lieut  W.  H.  Miller,  1st  Cavalry.  Died  April  11,  1913.  20.  Capt.  J.  G. 
Trimble,  1st  Cavalry.  Died  Nov.  16,  1911.  21.  Lieut.  J.  Q.  Adams,  1st 
Cavalry,  Capt.  U.  S.  A.  Living  in  Culver,  Ind.  22.  Capt.  C.  H.  Hoyt,  Q. 
M.  Dept.    Died  Nov  17,  1897. 

The  rank  of  all  these  officers  is  that  which  they  held  at  the  time  of  the 
Modoc  War. 

106 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

hit  him.  I  guess  he  is  not  a  spirit.  I  heard  him  telling  his 
men  to  follow  him.  If  he  is  a  spirit,  he  is  the  first  one  I 
ever  met  that  could  talk.  Anyway,  I  would  like  to  meet  him 
again  and  take  a  few  more  cracks  at  him,  but  I  tell  you 
it  does  look  strange  that  we  did  miss  him  so  often  while 
he  was  so  near  us.  He  is  no  spirit ;  it  is  only  this,  that  man 
was  not  born  and  lived  up  to  manhood  to  be  killed  by  Mo- 
docs.  I  have  another  thing  to  talk  about  tonight,  while  we 
have  the  chance." 

Charley  says:  "My  people,  I  want  all  of  you  to  listen  to 
my  words.  I  have  given  up  hope  of  standing  these  soldiers 
off.  We  cannot  do  it.  What  do  you  all  think  ?  I  do  not  like 
to  run,  but  I  think  it's  the  best  thing  for  us  to  do.  bur 
women,  children,  and  older  people  are  in  danger,  as  well 
as  ourselves,  so  let's  go  out  of  here  tonight.  I  think  we  can 
do  so  without  trouble."  Whereupon  all  the  men  agreed  to 
try  and  escape  the  same  night.  All  agreed  to  go  south,  if 
they  succeeded  in  their  attempt  to  escape.  They  all  made 
preparations  to  fly  in  haste.  Every  warrior  was  told  to 
act  for  himself  and  family  as  long  as  they  were  not  dis- 
covered, but  if  discovered,  they  must  fight  their  way  out 
together.  About  midnight  the  chief  sent  all  the  young  un- 
married men  north  of  their  stronghold,  as  far  out  as  they 
could  get  without  getting  right  among  the  soldiers.  He 
ordered  them  to  make  as  much  noise  as  they  could.  He  did 
that  so  they  would  draw  the  attention  of  the  soldiers  to  the 
opposite  direction  to  the  way  they  intended  to  escape.  I  am 
unable  to  say  whether  this  ruse  worked  or  not,  but  any- 
way, the  Modocs  all  made  their  way  out,  right  under  the 
noses  of  the  soldiers.  They  took  sufficient  bedding  and 
clothing  with  them,  also  dried  beef  they  had.  Dried  beef 
was  all  they  had  to  live  on.  The  unmarried  men  was  the 
last  ones  that  made  their  way  out.  They  left  four  old  peo- 
ple in  the  cave.  They  were  unable  to  travel,  as  two  were 
old  blind  men  and  one  was  a  cripple;  he  had  both  of  his 
arms  broken  in  one  of  the  battles  they  had  with  the  troops 
before,  either  in  November  on  Lost  River,  or  in  January 
in  the  Lava  Beds.  The  other  one  was  an  old  woman,  mother 

107 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

of  the  crippled  man.  She  would  not  desert  her  only  son. 
Next  morning,  after  the  Indians  had  vacated  their  strong- 
hold, the  morning  was  bright  and  warm.  The  troops  were 
all  in  their  rock  forts,  lying  low;  expecting  every  moment 
to  hear  the  Modoc  war  whoop.  "What  is  the  matter  this 
morning?"  says  one  soldier.  "It's  about  the  time  of  day 

them  Modocs  usually  commences  their  d d   howling. 

The  reds  must  be  up  to  something,  as  they  seem  awful 
quiet  this  morning."  One  says,  "They  must  all  be  dead  to 
world,  asleep.  Never  mind,  I  think  our  captain  intends  to 
surprise  the  husky  lads  this  morning."  While  this  con- 
versation was  going  on,  among  some  of  the  boys,  the  of- 
ficers were  holding  a  hurried  consultation,  as  to  what  was 
best  to  do.  Some  was  in  favor  of  staying  right  there  and 
starve  the  Modocs  into  submission;  others  wanted  to 
charge  the  Modocs'  stronghold  and  make  quick  work  of 
it.  Finally  they  got  orders  from  their  superior  officer  to 
charge  the  Modoc  stronghold.  The  officers  all  went  to 
their  respective  companies.  They  ordered  their  men  to  get 
ready  for  a  final  charge,  that  they  must  not  shirk  their 
duty,  that  they  were  brave  men.  One  officer  said  to  his 
man,  "You  are  a  brave  man,  my  boy,  but  don't  forget  that 
you  have  brave  men  to  conquer.  We  must  gain  the  day, 
which  I  know  we  shall  do."  The  officers  began  to  get  their 
men  ready.  The  boys  were  all  anxious  to  hear  the  order 
given.  Finally  the  bugle  sents  its  clear,  silvery  notes  through 
the  Lava  Beds.  Its  echo  went  from  one  rock  wall  to  an- 
other. The  bugle  call  thrilled  every  man,  for  every  one  of 
them  had  been  fighting  Modocs,  without  even  getting  a 
glimpse  of  his  foe.  They  had  seen  their  comrades  fall, 
being  shot  by  Modocs.  They  were  anxious  to  even  up  mat- 
ters. Every  man  sprang  to  his  feet  when  the  bugle  sounded 
charge.  Every  one  started  on  the  run  with  his  gun  grasped 
in  hand,  ready  for  instant  use,  hoping  to  see  an  Indian, 
so  he  would  have  the  satisfaction  of  shooting  at  him,  wheth- 
he  hit  him  or  not.  I  must  say  that  I  do  not  blame  the  sol- 
diers having  the  desire  of  getting  at  least  a  shot  at  an 
Indian  warrior.  Some  of  the  soldiers  told  me  that  they  had 

108 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

not  the  satisfaction  of  even  seeing  an  Indian,  let  alone 
shooting  at  one,  so  I  do  not  blame  them  for  having  the 
desire  of  shooting  at  one  Indian.  No  Modoc  war  whoop 
greeted  the  ears  of  the  charging  troops ;  no  puffs  of  smoke 
met  them.  The  soldiers  rushed  from  cave  to  cave;  but  no 
Indians  could  they  find.  Finally  they  run  onto  the  four  old 
blind  and  crippled  Indians.  They  were  helpless.  The  sit- 
uation did  not  alter  or  deter  the  brave  soldier  boys  of 
shooting  these  poor  old  blind  Indians.  The  armless  as  well 
as  his  poor  old  mother  met  the  same  fate.  She,  so  old  her 
body  was  bent  in  form.  I  do  not  blame  anyone  to  shoot  his 
enemy  in  battle,  but  I  do  think  it  is  an  outrage  for  men  to 
kill  old  helpless  people,  no  matter  what  the  circumstances 
may  be.  I  consider  it  is  cold-blooded  murder  to  kill  old 
defenseless  people,  no  matter  who  they  may  be.  God  will 
surely  punish  such  heartless  people.  It  is  sure  a  true  saying, 
with  the  white  people,  when  they  say,  everything  is  fair 
in  time  of  war.  I  have  noticed  in  the  past,  that  the  only 
time  this  saying  is  fulfilled  or  practiced,  is  when  the  white 
man  is  fighting  Indians.  Why?  Because  an  Indian  is  only 
an  Indian  anyway.  My  kind  reader,  I  do  not  condemn  the 
whole  white  nation  for  the  acts  of  a  few.  My  warmest  and 
best  friends  are  white  people.  My  white  friends  are  many. 
They  are  living  all  through  or  over  the  United  States. 

Capt.  Jack  and  his  people  went  south  after  their  escape, 
and  found  a  good  suitable  place  where  they  thought  by 
little  work  they  would  be  able  to  hold  their  own  for  a 
while.  When  the  troops  stormed  the  stronghold,  they  found 
the  place  deserted,  all  but  the  four  old  Indians  they  killed. 
They  were  ordered  to  return  to  Gillem's  headquarters.  The 
troops  all  had  a  few  days  rest.  Meanwhile  the  Warmspring 
Indian  scouts  were  trying  to  trail  or  locate  the  Modocs. 
One  day  they  found  the  Modocs  about  four  or  five  miles 
south  of  the  stronghold.  The  scouts  came  in  and  made 
their  report.  Gillem  gave  orders  to  move  on  the  Modocs 
and  rout  them  immediately.  Col.  Wright  and  his  company 
was  chosen  to  do  the  work.  So  the  next  morning  after  he 
got  his  orders,  Wright  headed  for  the  Modoc  camp,  guided 

109 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

by  Warmspring  Indian  scouts.  The  country  was  so  rough 
the  troops  made  very  slow  progress.  It  was  only  about 
five  miles  from  Gillem's  headquarters  to  where  the  Modocs 
made  their  last  stand  together.  Mr.  Wright  and  his  troops 
did  not  get  near  the  Indian  camp  till  in  the  afternoon.  The 
four  scouts  that  Wright  had  in  advance  of  his  troops  met 
the  troops  and  reported  that  no  Indians  or  any  sign  of  any 
had  been  discovered.  Mr.  Wright,  seeing  his  troops  were 
tired,  gave  orders  to  his  men  to  find  a  good  place,  so  that 
they  may  eat  a  lunch  and  rest,  also  make  plans  for  the 
afternoon.  The  scouts  did  not  know  when  they  made  their 
report  to  Mr.  Wright  that  ten  or  fifteen  Modoc  braves  had 
been  watching  them  and  the  troops  all  morning.  None  of 
them  knew  that  at  that  very  instant  the  Modocs  were  hold- 
ing a  hurried  talk,  not  more  than  eight  hundred  yards  from 
them,  as  to  how  they  had  better  make  the  attack.  The 
troops  was  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  eat  and  rest.  They 
unpacked  the  four  mules  they  had  along.  They  had  stacked 
arms,  they  thought  in  a  safe  place.  The  officers  was  josh- 
ing some  of  the  boys  about  Indian  fighting.  Some  had  pulled 
their  shoes  off  and  were  trimming  their  toe  nails.  Some 
had  already  begun  to  eat.  The  others  was  laying  around 
like  a  lot  of  men  will  do  when  they  are  tired.  While  the 
boys  was  thus  taking  things  or  rather  life,  easy,  they  was 
all  taken  unawares  by  the  dreaded  Modoc  war  whoop,  shoot- 
ing commencing  at  the  same  time.  Col.  Wright,  the  poor 
unfortunate  man,  was  one  of  the  first  to  fall,  never  to  rise 
again.  The  Modoc  fire  was  so  accurate,  the  troops  all 
broke  for  safe  places,  which  they  gained.  Quite  a  number 
was  killed  before  they  reached  places  of  safety.  The  Mo- 
docs charged  the  soldiers  and  succeeded  in  putting  them 
to  rout.    Quite  a  few  of  them  left  their  guns  behind. 

I  want  to  mention  here  about  a  soldier  boy  that  got  his 
Indian.  His  name  is  Jim  Ross.  Jim  got  his  leg  broken  in 
the  first  volley  the  Modocs  fired.  The  firing  was  so  heavy 
Jim  could  not  get  to  his  gun.  He  crawled  a  few  feet  away 
from  where  he  fell.  He  found  a  crevice  and  got  into  it 
and  laid  down  on  his  back  with  his  pistol  in  his  right  hand. 

110 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


The  Indians  kept  up  the 
war  song  and  firing  for 
some  time.  After  the 
soldiers  had  all  run,  the 
Modocs  chased  them  a 
little  way  and  left  them. 
They  was  eager  to  get 
back  to  their  victims  to 
secure  booty,  which  they 
did  in  a  short  time.  They 
found  guns,  revolvers 
and  many  other  articles, 
also  some  whiskey  and 
ammunition.  One  young 
brave,  known  by  the 
whites  as  Little  Ike  or 
Dave  (Modoc  name  Kan- 
kush),  was  not  satisfied 
with  what  he  got,  so  he 
thought  he  would   hunt 

around  in  the  sage-brush  Little  ike  or  Dave,  Indian  name  Kan- 

and     rocks.      He     got    to  kush,  killed  by  Private  Ross,  a  wounded 

vow^Kli'v^or  ov,^,,^^    Tj     T4.  U.  S.  soldier,  in  the  Lava  Beds;  one  of 

ramblmg  around.  He  lit-  the  few  Modoc   warriors   killed.     This 

tie  thought  that  a  soldier  photo  taken  by  Mr.  Heller,  either  while 

Txroci   I'v^    o    «v.^,r,-^^     -:,,^4-  "the  first  Peace  Council  was  in  session, 

was   m   a   crevice,   just  a  ^t  Van  Bremer's  ranch,  or  else  at  Gen- 

few  feet  from  him,  wait-  eral  Gillem's  Camp.     From  the  collec- 

ing  to  play  even  with  any  ^^^^  °^  ^'-  "^^^^  ^^^^^**- 
Indian  that  may  give  him  a  visit.  Ike  had  secured  a  blouse, 
but  had  not  put  it  on.  He  had  it  on  his  arm.  He  turned  and 
was  going  back  to  the  group  of  Indians  that  was  drinking 
booze.  He  jumped  on  a  rock.  Below  him  was  a  crevice. 
He  did  not  look  down  in  the  crevice  at  first,  but  when  he 
did,  he  saw  a  pistol  pointed  at  his  stomach.  Before  he 
could  dodge  back,  Jim  Ross  fired  the  bullet  and  struck  Ike 
in  the  stomach.  It  broke  Ike's  back.  He  fell  on  the  edge 
of  the  crevice  and  died  without  saying  a  word.  The  other 
Modocs  rushed  up  and  found  Jim  Ross.  They  shot  at  him 
many  times  and  left  him  for  dead.     The  warriors  carried 


111 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


little  Ike's  body  off  to  a 
cave,  put  it  in  there,  and 
filled  the  entrance  of  the 
cave  with  rocks. 

Jim  Ross,  after  the  In- 
dians shot  him  up,  lost  all 
consciousness.  After  the 
Indians  had  all  left  he  came 
to,  but  was  afraid  to  move. 
He  thought  there  might  be 
some  Indians  near  at  hand. 
Finally  he  gained  courage 
and  moved.  He  could  not 
move  his  feet  or  his  hands. 
He  thought  that  strange. 
He  then  saw  that  both  his 
legs  were  broke  below  the 
knees  and  both  his  wrists 
was  broke.  He  did  not  know 
what  to  do.  Finally  he  tried 
to  crawl  on  his  knees  and 
elbows,  which  he  did.  He 
then  started  on  his  journey 
to  Gillem's  camp,  which  he 
thought  he  never  would  reach,  but  I  heard  him  say:  "I 
made  up  my  mind  I  might  as  well  die  in  my  attempt  to 
reach  my  comrades  as  to  die  where  the  Modocs  had  left  me 
for  dead."  My  kind  and  gentle  reader,  it  may  seem  to  you 
that  this  yarn  is  shallow,  but  nevertheless,  it  is  the  truth. 
Jim  Ross  little  expected  on  that  morning  when  he  was  step- 
ping from  rock  to  rock,  strong  and  well,  joshing  with  his 
comrades,  that  the  following  night  he  would  be  crawling 
over  some  of  the  same  ground,  trying  to  reach  the  point  he 
had  left  that  morning,  as  I  said,  strong  and  well.  Now  both 
of  his  legs  are  broken,  both  of  his  wrists  also  broken,  shot 
through  the  intestines,  and  with  some  other  wounds  on  dif- 
ferent parts  of  his  body.  This  brave  man  crawled  on  his 
knees  and  elbows  all  night,  falling  first  one  way  and  then 


Capolis,  Chief  of  the  Warm  Spring 
U.  S.  Indian  Scouts.  Killed  after- 
ward while  in  the  employ  of  the  U. 
S.  Government  as  a  policeman,  by 
an  outlaw,  in  the  Paulina  Reserve, 
Oregon. 


112 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

another.  His  courage  never  failed  him.  Just  at  daylight 
he  reached  the  men  on  picket  duty.  They  saw  him  and 
challenged  him.  He  did  not  answer  them.  The  boys  on 
picket  says,  "Indian!  See!  he  is  crawling  on  us;  let's  shoot 
him" ;  so  they  opened  on  the  man.  They  fired  ten  or  twelve 
shots  at  him.  Ross  was  quite  still  when  the  boys  quit  firing. 
One  says,  '1  guess  we  got  him.     He  is  still."     Ross  spoke 

then.    He  says,  "You  d d  fools,  can't  you  fellows  tell  a 

white  man 
from  an  In- 
dian?" The 
boys  went 
and  picked 
up  the  al- 
most dead 
man  and  car- 
ried him  to 
the  hospital. 
The  doctors 
amputated 
both  his  legs 
below  the 
knees  and 
both  of  his 
wrists.  He 
was  shot 
nine  times. 
His  knee 
caps  was  ex- 
posed. The 
skin  and  the 
flesh  were 


^W- 

S^MH 

^f-^MHffiS 

!».  i^^^l^Sf^SJ^^^E 

^               '    ■  nfe™ 

:^im 

;• 

...  !  --N.S!.-. 

U.  S.  soldiers  on  the  lookout  for  an  attack  by  the  Mo- 
docs,  at  a  picket  station  in  the  Lava  Beds. 


worn  away  from  his  knees,  elbows  and  chin.  I  saw  his 
chinbone  or  jawbone.  It  was  bare,  with  no  flesh  on  it  at 
all.  It  is  a  sight  I  have  never  forgotten  and  never  will  as 
long  as  I  live.  He  laid  on  his  cot  after  his  wounds  was 
dressed  and  told  how  he  killed  his  Indian.    He  said : 

"After  my  leg  was  broke,  I  could  not  do  anything  but 


113 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

hide,  which  I  did  in  a  crevice.  I  had  not  been  hidden  very 
long  till  an  Indian  jumped  on  the  edge  of  the  crevice.  I 
pulled  up  on  that  buck ;  when  I  fired  he  leaped  up  into  the 
air  about  fifteen  feet.  I  plugged  him  right  where  he  lived. 
You  bet  I  did.  I  know  I  plugged  him.  He  was  not  five  feet 
from  me.    I  am  satisfied,  boys,  I  got  my  Indian.    I  am  ready 


Joe  Sidwaller,  Warm  Spring  Joe;  a  Warm  Spring  U.  S. 
Indian  Scout,  bringing  in  the  wounded  after  an  engage- 
ment during  the  Modoc  War.    Photo  by  Muybridge,  1873. 


to  die.    I  know  I  cannot  live.    What  good  would  I  be  to  my- 
self or  anyone  else,  handless  and  footless?" 

My  mother  Tobey  did  all  she  could  for  him  to  make  him 
comfortable,  but  in  vain.  He  was  beyond  human  aid.  He 
died  just  ten  days  after  his  wounds  was  dressed.  I  was 
there  by  the  side  of  his  cot  when  he  died.    He  drew  his  last 

114 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

breath  with  a  smile  on  his  manly  face,  whispering,  "I  got 
my  Indian." 

The  soldiers  was  busy  one  day,  bringing  in  first  the 
wounded,  next  the  dead,  after  Wright  and  his  company  had 
been  fired  on  or  rather  waylaid.  I  cannot  give  the  number 
that  was  killed  or  the  number  wounded.!  The  Indians  did 
not  fire  on  the  soldiers  while  they  was  working  with  their 
wounded  or  dead.  The  Indians  did  not  do  much  fighting  for 
a  few  days  after  the  Col.  Wright  fight,  as  the  troops  did  not 
move  against  them  in  force.  The  Warmspring  Indian  scouts 
and  some  cavalrymen  would  go  out  every  day  and  have  a 
brush  with  the  Modocs.  Just  a  few  Modocs  would  take  part 
in  these  little  fights. 


tThere  were  76  officers  and  men  and  also  Donald  McKay  and  his 
Warm  Spring  Scouts;  Lieut.  T.  F.  Wright,  Lieut.  A.  B.  Howe  and  First 
Lieut.  Arthur  Cranston.  Captain  Evan  Thomas  was  also  killed.  Lieut. 
George  M.  Harris,  dangerously  wounded,  died  three  days  later  on.  Sur- 
geon Semig,  seriously  wounded,  leg  amputated.  A  total  of  27  killed  and 
17  wounded.    These  officers  were  killed  on  April  26th. 

Lieut.  Harris  belonged  to  the  Fourth  Artillery,  whose  Battery  K  per- 
fectly idolized  him.  Capt.  Evan  Thomas  was  the  son  of  Lorrenzo  Thom- 
as, formerly  Adjutant  General  of  the  U.  S.  Army.  He  was  appointed 
second  lieutenant  of  the  Fourth  Artillery  April  9,  1861,  in  the  District  of 
Columbia.  Was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  on  the  14th  of  May,  1861, 
and  made  Captain,  August,  1864,  though  brevetted  Captain  in  Dec,  1862, 
and  brevetted  Major  in  July,  1863.  Honors  won  on  the  battlefield.  He 
left  a  widow  and  two  children  at  San  Francisco.  After  receiving  his 
death  wound  he  buried  his  gold  watch  and  chain  in  the  hope  it  might 
escape  discovery  by  the  Modocs  and  be  recovered  by  friends,  but  the 
watchful  foe  did  not  permit  the  souvenir  to  reach  them. 

Telegram  to  General  Scofield,  San  Francisco,  California. 

Headquarters  in  the  Field,  Tule  Lake,  Cal.,  May  8,  1873. 
I  sent  two  friendly  squaws  into  the  Lava  Beds  day  before  yesterday. 
They  returned  yesterday,  having  found  the  bodies  of  Lieut.  Cranston  and 
other  parties,  but  no  Modocs.  Last  night  I  sent  the  Warm  Spring  Indian 
Scouts  out.  They  found  that  the  Modocs  have  gone  in  a  southeasterly 
direction.  This  is  also  confirmed  by  the  attack  and  capture  of  a  train  of 
four  wagons  and  fifteen  animals  yesterday  P.  M.  near  the  supply  camp  on 
the  east  side  of  Tule  Lake.  The  Modocs  in  this  party  reported  to  be  fif- 
teen or  twenty  in  number,  escort  the  train  about  the  same.  Escort 
whipped  with  three  wounded.  No  Modocs  known  to  have  been  killed. 
I  will  put  the  troops  in  search  of  the  Modocs  with  five  days'  rations. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  23rd  Infantry,  Commanding  Dept. 

115 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  XI 

May  7th,  Captain  Jack  and  all  his  braves  go  south  about  four  miles. — 
Make  another  stand. — George,  Ellen's  man,  killed,  the  bravest  man 
among  the  Modocs. — His  death  causes  trouble  among  the  Indians. — 
The  Modocs  separate,  one  band  went  west  and  the  other  east. 

One  day  along  in  the  early  part  of  May  ( about  the  '7th ) , 
Colonel  Mason  and  his  company,  if  my  memory  serves  me 
right,  met  Scarface  Charley  and  thirty-two  Modocs  in  open 
battle,  near  Dry  Lake,  edge  of  the  Lava  Beds.  Mason  and 
his  troops  retreated  after  about  half  an  hour  of  hard  fight- 
ing, at  close  range,  leaving  four  on  the  field,  but  taking 
their  wounded  along.  Scarface  Charley  lost  one  man.  His 
name  was  Little  Stevens,  killed ;  none  wounded.  A  few  days 
later,  a  big  body  of  Warmspring  Indian  volunteers  and 
scouts,  Donald  or  Donal  McKay,  in  command  of  the  Indian 
volunteers,  and  a  company  of  cavalrymen,  got  orders  to  go 
and  find  the  Modocs  and  rout  them  out  if  it  could  be  done. 
McKay  said  he  and  his  men  could  and  would  lick  h — 11  out 
of  them  Modocs,  if  he  got  the  opportunity.  He  said  he  had 
not  got  any  show  with  them  Modocs  yet.  He  wanted  to 
find  them,  so  he  could  make  good  with  his  men. 

The  officer  that  was  in  command  of  the  cavalry  boys 
said,  "Look  here,  McKay,  you  may  lick  them  Modocs  easy, 
but  let  me  say,  they  are  fighters,  and  good  ones.  If  we 
jump  them,  you  will  find  out  that  what  I  tell  you  is  the 
truth."  The  two  officers  had  the  foregoing  conversation 
while  they  was  riding  along  the  zig-zag  trail  through  the 
Lava  Beds. 

The  Modoc  Indian  on  picket  duty  saw  the  horsemen  ap- 
proaching. He  reported  to  his  chief  what  he  saw.  He  and 
Scarface  Charley  gave  orders  to  prepare  for  battle.  The 
Modocs  went  forward  to  meet  their  enemy.  They  did  this 
to  give  their  women,  children  and  old  people  a  better  show 
to  hide.  The  opposing  enemies  caught  sight  of  each  other 
about  the  same  time,  about  one  mile  from  the  Modoc  camp, 
when  the  Modoc  warriors  left  their  camp  to  go  and  meet 

116 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

the  enemy.  They  had  to  cross  a  basin  and  then  come  up  on 
a  httle  ridge.  When  they  appeared  on  the  ridge,  the  Warm- 
spring  scouts  and  the  white  soldiers  saw  them  about  the 
same  time  the  Modocs  did.  The  soldiers  and  Warmspring 
Indians  all  dismounted  and  separated  for  battle.  They  had 
a  hard  fight.  Neither  side  gaining  or  losing  ground.  After 
the  soldiers  and  scouts  withdrew,  the  Modocs  got  together. 

Their  most  ^ 

beloved  man, 
Ellen's  Man, 
was  missing. 
Scarface 
Charley  said, 
"We  must  find 
him.  He  may 
be  just  woun- 
ded, but  I  fear 
he  is  dead." 
Three  or  four 
men  went  to 
where  he  was 
seen  last.  Wil- 
liam Faithf  ull 
found  him  ly- 
ing face  down, 
dead.  A  hole 
in  his  right 
breast  told 
them  the  tale. 
About  fifty 
feet  from  El- 
1  e  n's  Man's 
body,    laying 

side  by  side,  were  two  Warmspring  Indian  scouts,*  both 
dead,  one  with  a  gaping  hole  in  the  face,  the  other  one 
with  a  bullet  hole  right  over  his  heart.     Ellen's  man  had 

*The  names  of  the  two  Warm  Spring  Scouts  killed  were  Se-bas-tia 
and  Wa-san-ika. 


McKay,  the  San  Francisco  "Bulletin"  correspondent, 
taking  notes  on  the  battlefield  near  Gillem's  camp.  At 
the  left  are  two  Warm  Spring  Scouts,  on  the  lookout 
for  the  Modocs.  One  of  them,  Tallach,  is  still  living 
and  resides  at  the  Warm  Spring  Reservation,  Oregon. 
This  photo  taken  by  Muybridge,  1873. 


117 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


sold  his  life  dear  in  his  last  battle  for  his  dear  country. 

The  boys  in  blue  all  escaped  in  this  battle;  only  one  got 
a  light  flesh  wound  on  the  left  shoulder.  The  soldiers  all 
kept  to  one  side  during  this  fight,  as  McKay  had  requested 
it.  He  wanted  to  fight  the  Modocs  Indian  style,  which  he 
did.  He  did  not  make  as  good  as  he  said  he  would.  The 
Modoc  braves,  when  they  got  back  to  their  camp  that  eve- 
ning,  they 
were  all  sad. 
Finally, 
one  of  them 
said,  if  it  had 
not  been  for 
a  certain 
thing,  E  1  - 
1  e  n  '  s  Man 
would  never 
have  been 
killed.  Three 
or  four  oth- 
e  r  s  spoke. 
Then  they  all 
started  in  to 
blame  one 
another  for 
h  i  s  death. 
Women  took 
sides.  They 
quarreled  all 
night.  When 
the  morning 
came  they 
lined  up  to 
fight.  Only  a 

few  men  took  sides  with  Chief  Capt.  Jack.  Of  course,  John 
Schonchin  was  also  with  him.  Capt.  Jack  told  the  people 
that  he  was  not  the  cause  of  Ellen's  Man's  death.  "You 
accuse  me  wrong,"  he  says  to  Black  Jim,  ''but  if  you  people 


Capt.  Jack's  stronghold  in  the  Lava  Beds.  Notice  the 
Modoc  rock  fortifications;  the  cross  shows  Sergeant  or 
Lieut.  J.  M.  Ross,  21st  Infantry,  standing  close  by  the 
same  with  some  other  soldiers.  Photo  by  Muybridge, 
1873.  This  is  the  photographer  who  invented  moving 
pictures  at  Governor  Stanford's  ranch,  Palo  Alto,  Cal. 


118 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

think  I  killed  Ellen's  Man  or  caused  his  death,  you  know 
what  to  do.  Shoot  me.  I  promise  you  if  you  do  not  kill  me 
at  the  first  volley,  I  will  return  the  fire,  for  I  just  as  leave 
may  die  fighting  my  own  men  as  to  die  fighting  soldiers. 
I  know  I  will  be  killed  anyway,  in  battle,  or  I  know  I  shall 
be  hung  if  I  am  captured,  so  you  see  I  am  not  afraid  of 
death.  You  men  are  the  very  men  that  drove  me  to  kill 


Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scouts.     Left — Tahome;  be- 
hind him — Sisson  Jim;  standing — Donald  McRay 

General  Canby  and  now  you  want  to  blame  me  for  Ellen's 
Man's  death.  Let  me  tell  you  that  he  died  in  action  on  the 
battlefield  like  a  man.  Now  tell  me,  some  of  you,  how  am  I 
the  cause  of  his  death?"  Black  Jim  at  this  instant  threw 
the  butt  of  his  gun  to  his  shoulder,  saying,  '1  will  stop  your 
talk,  you  coward." 

119 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


Weium,  known  now  to  you  as  Faithful  William,  jumped 
and  caught  Black  Jim's  rifle  and  said,  ''None  of  that,  Jim. 
Don't  shoot  Jack.  You  have  your  desire.  You  wanted  to 
shoot  soldiers  all  the  time.  Our  chief  wanted  peace.  There 
is  plenty  of  soldiers  left  yet.  You  have  not  killed  all  of 
them,  so  go  and  shoot  soldiers  to  your  heart's  content.  I 
will  not  let  you  shoot  our  chief,  for  he  is  a  good  man  and 
is  right.  You  and  others  made  him  do  what  he  did,  so  just 
save  your  cartridges  for  soldiers.  They  ain't  left  yet,  and 
they  won't  leave  for  awhile. 


either."  Black  Jim  wheeled 

round  on  Faithful  William, 

looked  him  in  the  eyes  for 

some  time.    He  said,  ''ah''\ 

(yes).    He  walked  off  and 

said,  "I  quit  my  chief  today 

for  I  cannot  fight  by  his 

side  any  more.  I  hate  him 

from  now  on.    I  do  not  care 

who  knows  it."    The  other 

Indians  all  got  in  three  or 

four  squads  and  laid  their 

plans  in  a  hurry,  for  they 

could  see  the  flash  of  the 

soldiers'  guns  not  over  one 

mile  and  a  half  from  them. 

This  was  a  fresh  company 

that  hadn't  been  ordered  to 

the  front.    I  have  forgotten 

the  officers  in  command  of 

this  company.:;:  Capt.  Jack 

got  his  two  ponies.    He  packed  them  in  haste ;  mounted  his 

wife  and  child  on  them.    He  got  his  gun.    During  this  time 

he  did  not  say  a  word.     He  rested  the  butt  of  his  gun  on 

the  ground.    He  then  shouldered  his  gun,  started  off  in  a 

fPronounced  as  "a,"  the  h  being  silent. 

$In  his  final  report  he  says:  "Capt.  Hasbroock  and  Jackson's  company 
with  the  Warm  Spring  Scouts,  all  under  command  of  the  former,  were 
immediately  sent  out  in  pursuit  and  signs  of  Modocs  were  found  near 

120 


Capt.  George,  U.  S.  Warm  Spring  In- 
dian  Scout.     Indian  name,   Shar-kah. 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

brisk  walk,  headed  east,  followed  by  his  family,  John  Schon- 
chin  and  family,  and  three  or  four  other  families,  and  four 
or  five  single  young  men. 

Black  Jim,  Bogus  Charley,  Boston  Charley,  Dave  Rock, 
Steam  Boat  Frank,  Curley  Headed  Doctor,  Shaknasty  Jim, 
Hooker  Jim,  Faithful  William,  Miller  Charley,  Mose  Kisk, 


Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scout  on  the  lookout  for  the  Mo- 
docs  during  the  Modoc  War;  Indian  name,  Loa-kum  Ar-nuk. 


Boncho  and  others  went  west.  We  will  leave  Capt.  Jack 
and  his  sub-chief  for  awhile  and  follow  Black  Jim  and  his 
followers.  They  traveled  west  till  late  in  the  evening.  The 
Warmspring  Indian  scouts  and  soldiers  had  captured  nearly 

Sorass  Lake,  where  the  troops  camped  for  the  night.  On  the  morning  of 
the  10th  the  Modocs  attacked  the  troops  at  daylight.  They  were  not  fully 
prepared  for  it,  but  at  once  sprang  to  their  arms  and  returned  the  fire  in 
gallant  style.  The  Modocs  soon  broke  and  retreated  in  the  direction  of 
the  Lava  Beds.  They  contested  the  ground  with  the  troops  hotly  for 
some  three  miles.  The  object  of  this  hasty  movement  of  the  troops  was 
to  overhaul  the  Modocs,  if  out  of  the  Lava  Beds  as  reported,  and  prevent 
them  from  murdering  the  settlers  in  their  probable  retreat  to  another 
locality.  This  object  was  obtained  and  more.  The  troops  have  had,  all 
thmgs  considered,  a  very  square  fight  and  whipped  the  Modocs  for  the 
first  time,  but  the  whole  band  was  again  in  the  rocky  stronghold. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  23rd  Infantry,  Commanding  Dep't. 

121 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

all  they  had,  so  every  squaw  had  to  pack  a  big  load  on  their 
back.  Some  had  young  children  that  had  to  be  carried, 
children  from  seven  years  old  and  up  had  to  walk  the  best 


The  Warm  Spring  U.  S.  Indian  Scouts  in  the  Lava  Beds  during  the  Modoc 

War.   Soldiers'  camps  in  the  rear.   Left  to  right  around  the  circle:     1. . 

2.  Frank  Sidwaller.  3.  Pinouse.  4.  Schooley,  grandfather  of  the  wife  of 
Pierson  Mitchell  of  Simnasho  U.  S.  Reservation,  Oregon.  5.  Lieut.  Jake 
Thomas,  still  living  at  the  Warm  Springs  Agency,  Oregon.  Sitting  oppo- 
site to  him,  Ta-home.    From  the  Smithsonian  collection. 

they  could.  The  real  old  men  and  women  was  more  bother 
to  the  middle-aged  people  than  the  children.  Some  of  them 
was  partly  blind.  They  could  not  see  to  travel  through  the 
rocks  and  brush.     They  spent  their  first  night  after  they 

122 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


fell  out  with  Capt.  Jack  near  Willow  Creek,  California,  on 
the  south  side  of  Vanbrimer  mountain.  Next  morning, 
Black  Jim  told  the  people  that  they  would  not  move,  but 
would  lay  over  to  rest  the  women,  children  and  old  folks. 
He  was  acting  as  leader  Or  chief.  He  put  two  men  on  guard ; 
the  rest  of  them  laid  around  camp,  some  sleeping  and  some 
just  resting.  About  mid-afternoon  the  two  guards  rushed 
into  camp  and  reported  that  a  company  of  soldiers  on  horse- 
back was  right  on  them.  They  hurried  their  families  south 
into  a  juniper  thicket.  The 
warriors  then  laid  in  wait 
for  the  soldiers.  The  sol- 
diers were  very  slow  and 
careful.  They  had  taken  up 
the  Indian  trail  early  that 
morning  with  Warmspring 
scouts  as  trailers.  When 
they  got  within  two  hundred 
yards  of  the  anxious  Modoc 
braves,  one  Warmspring 
scout  said:  "Stop,  I  think 
me  see  him  Modoc  run  like 
this."  He  got  down  on  his 
hands  and  knees  and  showed 
Capt.  Anderson.  He  said: 
"Me  see  him,  sure;  putty 
soon,  maybe  so,  him  shoot." 
Just  then  a  shot  rang  out  in 
front  of  the  soldiers,  fol- 
lowed by  fifteen  or  twenty 
more.     One    horse    plunged 

forward,  hit  in  the  breast.  He  threw  his  gallant  rider  to 
the  ground.  The  soldiers  was  truly  surprised,  but  it  did 
not  take  no  time  for  them  to  rally,  which  they  did.  The 
captain  ordered  charge.  They  started  with  a  yell,  but  had 
to  retreat,  although  none  of  the  charging  force  was  hit,  but 
the  horses  suffered.  The  Modocs  was  shooting  horses. 
Black  Jim  had  ordered  the  braves  to  shoot  horses.    He  said, 


William,  U.  S.  Warm  Spring  Indian 
Scout.     Indian  name,  Skmea-Chee. 


123 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

** After  the  soldiers  quit  them,  he  thought  if  they  killed  their 
horses,  the  soldiers  would  not  follow  them;  not  so  fast, 
anyway." 

The  soldiers  and  scouts  exchanged  a  few  shots  with  the 
Modocs.  A  little  while  before  sunset,  the  soldiers  and 
scouts  headed  for  the  Vanbrimer  ranch  on  Willow  Creek, 
California.  The  boys  had  lost  their  horses,  walked  in,  no 
one  hurt  on  either  side. 

Next  morning  Anderson  sent  a  messenger  to  Fairchild's 
ranch,  to  a  company  of  regulars  that  was  stationed  there, 
stating  that  he  had  located  the  entire  band  of  Modocs  near 
Vanbrimer  Mountains,  that  he  had  a  fight  with  them,  but 
lost  no  men,  and  had  several  horses  killed.  He  stated  in 
these  words:  "I  think  we  killed  fifteen  or  more  of  them 
Modocs.  I  know  I  saw.  four  or  five  throw  their  hands  up 
and  fall  backwards.    I  plugged  two  myself." 

The  Modocs,  after  their  little  fight  with  the  troops  and 
Indian  scouts,  took  the  trail  of  the  women  and  children. 
They  did  not  go  far  before  they  found  them.  They  all 
camped  right  there  for  the  night,  as  they  had  plenty  of 
water  handy.  Daylight  next  morning  the  Indians  was  trav- 
eling west,  headed  for  a  mountain.  The  top  of  the  moun- 
tain was  covered  with  juniper  trees  and  mahogany  brush. 
From  the  top  of  the  mountain  the  Indians  could  get  a  fine 
view  west,  all  over  Butte  Creek  Valley,  California.  East, 
they  had  a  good  view  of  the  country  they  had  traveled  after 
leaving  the  Lava  Beds.  The  warriors  took  turn  about,  sta- 
tioned in  the  tops  of  two  juniper  trees,  watching  for  their 
enemies.  The  mountain  the  Modocs  made  their  last  stand 
on  was  then  known  as  Fairchild's  mountain.  It  is  about 
four  miles  from  the  southwest  end  of  little  Klamath  Lake, 
California.  Fairchild's  ranch  in  one  the  east  side  of  the 
mountain,  right  at  its  base.  It  was  also  known  as  Sheep 
Mountain.  The  Indians  were  not  bothered  by  anyone  for 
nearly  two  weeks.  They  had  plenty  of  meat  to  eat,  as  there 
was  plenty  of  deer  and  mountain  sheep  all  over  the  moun- 
tain where  they  camped  on;  also  eppaws,  a  little  wild  po- 

124 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

tato  that  grows  all  through  the  northern  part  of  California 
and  southern  part  of  Oregon. 

During  this  time  the  soldiers,  most  of  them,  moved  back 
to  the  Fairchild's  ranch.  After  they  got  settled  down, 
scouting  parties  went  out  every  day  to  locate  the  Modocs. 
One  evening  in  the  latter  part  of  the  month  of  June,  1873, 
Bogus  Charley,  Hooker  Jim,  Shaknasty  Jim  and  Scarface 
Charley  walked  into  John  Fairchild's  house.  Some  two  or 
three  officers  was  in  the  house  with  Mr.  Fairchild. 

When  the  warriors  stepped  in,  each  one  had  his  rifle  in 
his  right  hand.  Mr.  Fairchild  and  the  officers  was  taken 
with  surprise.  Not  one  of  them  moved.  Scarface  Charley 
was  the  first  one  to  speak.  He  said :  "Hello,  mans,  me  come 
here  with  this  my  mans,  me  like  no  more  fight;  me  like 
quit ;  me  much  tired ;  no  sleep  long  time  now.  Me  come  see 
you,  John,"  addressing  Mr.  Fairchild.  "Me  like  you,  for  me 
talk ;  no  like  shoot  soldiers  no  more.  You  my  good  friend ; 
you  know  me,  heap  good  John.  I  neber  lie  when  me  tell 
something."  John  Fairchild  got  up  and  shook  hands  with 
each  warrior.  The  officers  did  likewise.  Scarface  said  to 
the  last  officer  he  shook  hands  with:  "Mr.  Big  Soldier  tyee% 
me  no  'fraid  you ;  you  can't  lick  me,  one  man.  You  soldiers 
many,  many;  pore  me;  spose  you  fight  me  one  man,  me  lick 

you  puty  d d  quick,  you  bet.    Now  me  no  like  fight ;  me 

quit  now ;  spose  you  like  kill  me,  all  light,  here's  my  gun  and 
pistol."  He  passed  them  over  to  the  officer,  laughing  all 
the  time.  The  other  three  followed  suit.  Fairchild  placed 
chairs  for  the  four  warriors,  asked  them  to  sit  down,  which 
they  did.  Mr.  Fairchild  notified  Gen.  Jeff  C.  Davis  that 
four  Modoc  warriors  was  in  his  house  and  wished  to  see 
him  and  other  officers. 

General  Davis  went  immediately.  The  four  warriors  re- 
ceived him  with  their  hats  in  hand.  General  Davis  said, 
"How  do  you  do,  boys.  I  am  glad  to  see  all  of  you.  Where 
are  you  boys  from  ?  How  is  the  rest  of  the  people  ?  Where 
are  they  holding  out  at?"  Scarface  said:  "Me  well,  we  all 
well.    You  soldiers  no  kill  many  of  us ;  maybe  four  or  five 

§Meaning  in  jargon,  Chief. 

125 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

good  men,  maybe  five  or  six  old  squaws.  An  old  man,  Capt. 
Jack,  Schonchin,  maybe  fifteen  more  go  way  off,  me  not 
know  where  him  go.  Other  Modocs  little  ways  from  here, 
all  well.  Maybe  some  Modoc  man  like  fight  more,  I  no.  No, 
me  no  like  fight  more;  me  got  enough  fight.  This  man — 
pointing  at  the  other  three — him  no  like  fight.  We  give 
you  soldiers  our  gun,  pistol,  too ;  us  quit  now.  Suppose  you 
like  put  him  chain  my  legs,  all  us  legs;  all  light,  me  say 
good." 

General  Davis  said:  **So,  Scarface  Charley,  you  want  to 
lay  down  your  arms  and  quit  fighting,  eh!  I  am  glad  that 
you  and  them  others  have  decided  to  quit.  I  will  see  that 
you  men  shall  be  protected.  Now  come  with  me.  I  expect 
you  are  hungry  ?  Come  and  have  something  to  eat."  "Hold 
on,  Mr.  Davis,  me  go  putty  quick  and  eat.  Me  like  talk  you 
now.  Me  like  tell  you  me  no  'fraid  you.  No,  me  just  quit 
fight.  You  soldiers  no  good  shoot.  Me  no  like  kill  lots  of 
soldiers.  Soldiers  all  same  woman.  No  shoot  good.  No  hit 
Injun.  Maybe  so  soldiers  'fraid  Modoc  man;  he  no  shoot 
good  all  the  time.  He  run  just  like  deer,  that's  what  all 
soldiers  do,  but  soldiers  he  no  good  fight.  Spose  twenty 
soldiers  after  me  lone.  I  set  down  I  kill  all  him,  'spose  him 
no  run  like  deer.    Now  me  eat;  me  quit  talk." 

General  Jeff  C.  Davis  made  arrangements  with  the  four 
warriors  after  supper.  He  told  them  he  would  not  keep 
them  as  prisoners  or  under  guard.  So  the  next  morning  the 
four  Indians  were  hired  by  the  officer.  General  Davis,  as 
scouts.  They  took  the  job  to  run  their  own  people  down 
at  $100  per  month. 


126 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Scar-Face  Charley,  Hooker  Jim,  Bogus  Charley  and  Shaknasty  Jim  hired 
as  Government  Scouts,  commence  running  to  earth  their  own  people. 
— Armed  with  nice  carbines  and  riding  fine  grain-fed  horses,  wages 
$100.00  per  month.— These  very  men  were  eager  to  fight  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Modoc  War. 

We  will  now  see  what  the  Indians  are  doing.  Scarface 
Charley  and  the  other  three  deserted  the  night  after  the 
above  mentioned  men  left  their  people  on  the  Fairchild 
or  Sheep  Mountain.  Miller  Charley*  called  on  Curley 
Headed  Doctor  and  said: 
"Doctor,  where  did  Scar- 
face  Charley  and  the  other 
three  men  go  to?  I  did  not 
hear  any  firing  anywhere 
today.  I  don't  think  they 
got  killed."  The  Doctor 
said:  '1  do  not  know  any- 
thing about  their  depar- 
ture. They  told  me  this 
morning  that  they  were 
going  out  to  scout  a  little, 
which,  I  suppose,  they  did." 

By  the  time  the  two  had 
got  thus  far  in  their  talk, 
nearly  all  the  other  braves 
walked  up  to  the  Doctor's 
camp.  Black  Jim  picked  up 
a  stick  and  poked  the  fire, 
saying  at  the  same  time: 
"As  I  was  watching  the 
soldiers'  camp  this  evening 
I  saw  four  men  walk  up  to 
Fairchild's  house  and  go  in. 


Curly  Headed  Doctor.  Indian  name, 
Cho-ocks;  alias  Woman  Doctor,  Medi- 
cine Man.  Died  at  Quapaw  Agency, 
Oklahoma,  1890.  From  the  collection 
of  Mr.  John  Daggett. 


I  was  just  a  little  ways  up  above  the  house  on  the  hill.  If 

♦Miller  Charley.  Died  near  Quapaw,  Oklahoma,  in  the  summer  of  1912. 


127 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

my  eyes  did  not  fool  me,  the  men  I  saw  was  Scarface 
Charley,  Hooker  Jim,  Bogus  Charley  and  that  left-handed 
man,  Shaknasty  Jim.  I  kept  my  eyes  on  the  house  until 
dark.  I  did  not  see  them  go  out."  The  Doctor  said,  "This 
is  as  I  expected.  I  have  watched  them  fellows  for  the  last 
four  or  five  days;  they  have  been  together;  they  acted 
like  they  were  planning  something.  I  know  now,  they  have 
gone  to  the  soldiers'  camp.  They  are  now  talking  to  the 
officers.  They  will  lead  the  soldiers  to  our  hiding  place. 
I  will  shoot  either  one  of  them  before  I  will  shoot  a  soldier." 
They  all  said  the  same  thing. 

That  very  night  they  all  moved  camp,  about  two  miles 
north  on  the  same  mountain.  The  Juniper  trees  and  Ma- 
hogany trees  or  bushes  was  thicker  in  that  locality.  The 
next  morning  all  the  braves  were  busy  building  breast- 
works. They  determined  to  make  that  place  their  last 
stand  and  sell  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible.  They  all 
knew  if  the  four  deserters  took  sides  with  the  soldiers  and 
fought  with  them,  they  were  up  against  it,  as  the  four 
men  were  all  dead  shots. 

Let  us  see  where  Captain  Jack  and  his  few  followers 
went  to  when  he  and  Schonchin  separated  from  Black  Jim 
and  the  others.  Jack  and  Schonchin,  their  families  and  the 
other  five  or  six  families  headed  east.  They  traveled  about 
ten  or  twelve  miles,  made  camp  in  a  small  ravine  or  gulch, 
where  they  knew  was  a  small  spring.  Jack  and  Schonchin 
passed  a  restless  night.  They  both  thought  that  Black  Jim 
would  follow  them  and  kill  them.  In  this  they  were  mis- 
taken. Jack  proposed  to  lay  over  one  or  two  days  to  rest, 
as  they  all  were  sorely  in  need  of  sleep  and  rest.  They  all 
agreed  to  Jack's  proposition.  Two  of  the  younger  men  went 
hunting.  They  did  not  hunt  long;  they  bagged  three  ante- 
lopes and  two  deer.  Game  was  plentiful  in  that  part  of  the 
country. 

After  spending  the  second  day  at  this  hidden  spring  they 
all  moved  due  north.  Their  course  was  along  the  ridge  be- 
tween Clear  Lake  and  Tule  Lake.  Jack  wanted  to  get  in  the 

128 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

mountains  west  of  Langell's  Valley,  Oregon.  The  moun- 
tain lies  northeast  of  Tule  Lake  and  it  is  known  as  Bryant 
Mountain.  Jack  and  his  party  reached  camp  safe  after 
dark.  They  saw  many  horse  and  wagon  tracks  between 
Clear  Lake  and  Tule  Lake  but  did  not  see  any  soldiers. 

The  day  following  they  all  started  early,  headed  north- 
east. Jack  knew  of  a  nice  spring  and  good  horse  feed  aboi  t 
half  way  down  Bryant  Mountain.  On  the  east  side  the  tim- 
ber was  dense  all  around  the  spring,  also  a  very  rocky,  rough 
canyon  on  the  north  of  the  spring.  Jack  told  his  little  band 
that  he  thought  they  could  make  a  good  stand  there,  even 
against  great  odds.  Schonchin  told  Jack  and  others  that 
he  intended  to  stay  right  there  and  fight  any  war  party 
that  came  his  way.  They  had  a  good  view  of  Langell's  Val- 
ley, but  did  not  or  could  not  see  any  part  of  the  Tule  Lake 
country  without  climbing  the  steep  mountain  about  a  mile. 
Jack  kept  one  man  on  guard  every  day  and  night  on  the 
trail  they  had  made  when  they  came  into  their  camp 
ground.  About  ten  days  after  Jack  had  made  his  last  camp, 
he  and  all  the  rest  of  the  Indians  were  surprised  one  morn- 
ing when  they  saw  Long  Jim  and  his  old  father  walk  into 
their  camp.  Long  Jim  and  his  old  father  went  their  way 
when  the  Modocs  had  their  row  over  the  death  of  Ellen's 
man.  Long  Jim,  with  his  father,  had  been  dodging  from 
first  one  place  and  another  on  the  shores  of  Tule  Lake,  so 
they  gave  it  up  as  a  bad  job.  They  started  for  Yainax 
Agency.  On  their  way  they  came  upon  Capt.  Jack's  trail 
and  followed  him  up.  Jack  welcomed  him  as  he  saw  Long 
Jim  had  a  good  Springfield  rifle  and  plenty  of  cartridges. 
Jack  and  his  small  band  felt  safe  for  the  time  being  as  no 
white  people  of  any  kind  bothered  him,  although  they  saw 
people  going  up  and  down  Langell's  Valley  every  day  or  so. 
Jack  had  given  his  men  orders  not  to  do  any  shooting.  If 
they  did,  it  would  cause  the  enemy  to  locate  them  too  easy, 
but  he  said:  "We  must  have  meat.  We  will  try  our  bows 
and  arrows."  Long  Jim's  father  had  a  coon  skin  quiver 
full  of  arrows  and  two  fine  sinew  backed  bows.     With  the 

129 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

bows  and  arrows  fine  big  bucks  and  does  were  brought  into 
camp  every  day,  also  grouse. 

I  will  now  lead  the  kind  reader  back  to  the  Modoc  gov- 
ernment scouts.  General  Davis  said :  "Scarface,  come  here. 
You  are  a  pretty  good  fellow,  I  think.  I  believe  I  can  trust 
you  and  the  other  boys.  I  don't  think  you  would  run  off 
with  the  horses  and  guns  if  I  sent  you  four  out  to  Capture 
Captain  Jack  and  his  little  handful,  would  you  ?" 

This  talk  took  place  at  Fairchild's  Ranch,  California, 
some  time  in  May,  1873.  Scarface  said:  '*Ho,  me  no  run 
'way ;  me  soldier  now,  same  kind  white  soldier,  only  me  and 
him  odder  mans,"  pointing  to  Bogus  Charley,  Hooker  Jim 

and  Shaknasty  Jim,  "D m  more  better  than  you  white 

soldiers,  you  bet  we  am.  Davis,  you  know  what  I  say;  him 
sure  I  tell  you  good." 

"Well,  boys,"  says  General  Jeff  C.  Davis,  "I  want  Capt. 
Jack  and  Schonchin,  can  you  get  them?"  "You  bet  we  get 
him  all  right,  sometime.  What  for  we  no  get  him  Black 
Jim,  Curley  Haired  Doctor  on  heap  all  him  perst,  eh!  May 
so  him  come  here  kill  you  some  time  soon.  What  you 
think?" 

General  Davis:  "Oh,  I'm  not  afraid  of  Black  Jim.  He 
won't  come  here  to  kill  me.  I  got  soldiers  here.  You  see 
he  won't  come." 

"Canby  him  say  that  same  kind  talk,"  spoke  Bogus  Char- 
ley, "Injun  kill  him  all  same.  Injun  not  afraid  of  soldiers 
when  he  get  mad.  No,  no.  Injuns  always  say,  'If  I  com- 
mence to  fight  any  kind  of  people  I  will  fight,  fight  if  there 
is  ten  to  one.  I  shall  not  run  as  long  as  I  have  any  chance 
to  get  my  man.'  That  is  the  way  we  all  talk  and  that  is  the 
way  we  all  look  upon  war.  Die  fighting,  is  our  rule.  But  in 
this  fight  with  you  soldiers,  we  thought  it  would  be  better 
to  quit  although  we  are  not  afraid  of  you,  we  just  quit;  we 
feel  bad  about  our  families  and  our  old  folks.  I,  for  one,  do 
not  want  to  lead  them  around  any  longer.  That  is  the  reas- 
on I  and  these  men  give  up  our  rifles  to  you." 

Bogus  Charley  could  talk  better  English  than  any  of  the 
braves.     He  had  lived  among  the  white  people  in  Yreka, 

130 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

California,  the  biggest  part  of  his  life.  He  was  at  this  time 
of  his  talk  with  General  Jeff  C.  Davis,  about  thirty  years 
of  age.  "Well,  General  Davis,  when  we  go  get  him.  Black 
Jim,  and  all  him  Injuns,"  broke  in  Scarf  ace,  the  General 
walked  up  to  one  of  his  officers  and  said:  ''Lieutenant,  go 
get  the  boys  ready.  We  might  just  as  well  go  after  Black 
Jim  and  his  band  right  now.  After  we  get  him,  then  we 
shall  go  in  search  of  Capt.  Jack  and  Schonchin.  They  can- 
not escape  us  when  we  have  his  own  men  hired  as  scouts." 
The  officer  saluted  and  hurried  off  to  get  everything  ready 
for  the  Indian  hunt,  as  they  called  it,  two  hours  after  the 
lieutenant  got  his  orders. 

Bogus  Charley  and  the  other  three  scouts  were  talking 
very  earnestly  to  about  thirty  soldiers.  Captain  Anderson 
in  command.  They  were  about  two  miles  southwest  of  the 
Fairchild's  ranch,  California.  Bogus  Charley  was  saying 
to  Captain  Anderson :  ^'We  left  them  people  right  over  that 
point  of  timber  up  there,"  pointing  to  the  top  of  Sheep 
Mountain.  ''They  may  be  there  now,  maybe  not;  might  be 
close  to  Yreka,  California.  Now  we  can't  tell.  You  see, 
Captain,  it  has  been  six  days  since  we  left  them." 

Captain  Anderson  said:  "Scarf ace  Charley,  what  do  you 
think  is  the  best  way  to  go  at  our  little  business  we  have 
in  hand?" 

Scarface  Charley:  "Me,  Captain,  me  no  no,  suppose  me 
boss,  me  tell  you  pretty  quick  what  me  do ;  me  can  do  noth- 
ing, me  no  boss." 

Captain  Anderson:  "Well,  tell  us,  Charley,  what  do  you 
want  to  do.  You  know,  Charley,  you  are  a  government  man 
now.  You  see,  Charley,  I  want  to  take  them  Indians  with- 
out any  more  fighting." 

Scarface:  "Well,  Captain,  I  tell  you  now  what  we  do.  I 
think  we  no  fight.  You  all  soldiers  stay  here.  Me,  Bogus 
Charley  and  Hooker  Jim,  go  look  for  Modocs.  Shaknasty 
Jim  he  stay  with  you.  Spose  we  see  him  Injuns,  me  talk 
him  good,  puty  soon  him  all  come  out  heap  glad." 

Captain  Anderson  said:  "All  right,  boys,  go.  We  shall 
stay  right  here  until  we  hear  from  some  of  you." 

131 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

The  three  scouts  mounted  their  horses  and  headed  them 
for  the  top  of  Sheep  Mountain,  about  one  mile  and  a  half 
distant.  Just  before  the  scouts  disappeared  in  the  Juniper 
timbers  they  waved  their  hats  to  the  boys  in  blue.  The  boys 
had  tied  their  horses  to  some  scrubby  Juniper  trees.  They 
were  sitting  around  telling  yarns,  etc.  It  was  getting  pretty 
well  along  in  the  afternoon.  One  Irish  boy  in  blue  said:  "I 
say  Cap.,  it  would  be  a  devil  of  a  joke  if  Scarf  ace  Charley, 
Bogus  Dollar  or  Charley  and  Crooked  or  Mean  Hooker  Jim 
would  get  Black  Jim  and  his  men  and  come  up  behind  us 
and  open  up  on  us.  I  say,  wouldn't  that  be  royal,  begorra! 
Say  boys,  I  do  not  know  how  you  feel  toward  these  red 
heathens,  but  for  my  part  I  wouldn't  trust  any  of  them  as 
far  as  a  blind  man  can  see,  the  divil  the  bit  I  would,  even  if 
he  had  glass  eyes." 

About  an  hour  before  sunset  two  of  the  scouts  came  back. 
Bogus  Charley  and  Hooker  Jim,  Scarface  Charley  was  not 
with  them.  Anderson  said:  ''Hello,  boys,'  where  is  Scar- 
face?'.'  Bogus  Charley  said:  ''He  is  with  the  Modocs  over 
the  mountain.  He  sent  us  back  to  tell  you  men  to  go  back 
to  camp.  Black  Jim  would  not  listen  to  reason  at  all,  so  I 
guess  we  just  as  well  go  back.  Scarface  said  for  me  to  tell 
you  by  the  time  we  get  around  tomorrow,  he  would  have  all 
of  them  ready  to  come  in  with  us.  He  will  stay  with  them 
tonight."  So  they  all  mounted  and  headed  for  the  camp, 
splitting  the  air  with  love  songs.  The  three  scouts  joined  in 
singing  war  songs  in  their  own  language. 

General  Jeff  C.  Davis  received  the  company  and  'scouts 
and  congratulated  them  upon  their  safe  return.  After  Lieut. 
Anderson  explained  everything  to  General  Davis  he  was 
well  pleased  with  Scarface  Charley's  plan.  When  the  sol- 
diers were  all  asleep  but  the  guards  at  Pairchild's  Ranch, 
the  Indians  at  Black  Jim's  camp  less  than  six  miles  away, 
was  heaping  dry  Juniper  logs  on  the  fire.  Black  Jim  being 
the  leader  of  this  band,  was  tongue  lashing  Scarface  Char- 
ley. He  even  threatened  to  kill  Charley.  He  said  to  Char- 
ley :  "You  black  dog,  why  did  you  come  back  to  me  after  you 
and  the  other  three  dogs  deserted  me  and  your  families  ?  I 

132 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

can  not  look  upon  you  as  friends  any  more.  How  do  you 
expect  me  to  consider  you  my  friend  ?  You  come  here  today 
with  a  fine,  big  horse  and  nice  cavalryman's  carbines.  Who 
do  you  intend  to  run  down  with  that  horse?  Who  do  you 
intend  to  shoot  with  that  gun?  Now  tell  me,  can  you  ex- 
plain yourself  to  me  so  that  we  may  avoid  bloodshed  that  is 
between  you  and  me  ?  Charley,  if  I  ever  meant  anything  in 
my  life,  I  mean  just  what  I  am  saying  right  now.  Come, 
answer  me." 

The  other  braves  said  not  a  word.  Everyone  was  anxious 
to  hear  Scarf  ace  Charley  reply.  Curley  Headed  Doctor  said : 
* 'Charley,  you  have  heard  what  Black  Jim  said.  I  want  to 
say  I  feel  just  the  same  as  Jim,  so  you  had  better  study  be- 
fore you  answer  us.  You  know  who  we  are.  Do  not  tempt 
us." 

Charley  jumped  to  his  feet  and  poked  the  fire  saying: 
"Men,  put  on  some  more  wood  as  I  want  Black  Jim  and  the 
Doctor  to  have  a  good,  strong  light  to  shoot  me  by."  Then 
he  turned  and  faced  his  tWo  enemies  saying:  "Look,  men,  I 
want  you  both  to  understand  that  I  am  black,  but  not  a  dog. 
I  am  a  man.  If  you  want  me  to  tell  you  what  I  am  going  to 
do  with  that  big,  fat  horse  and  gun,  I  will  tell  you.  I  will 
run  you  men  down  on  that  horse  and  shoot  you  with  this 
gun  if  you  do  not  do  as  I  want  you  to  do.  I  know  who  you 
are.  I  was  raised  with  you.  You  are  both  cowards.  You 
know  it.  Your  threats  don't  amount  to  nothing.  What  I 
have  done  is  best  for  all  of  us.  It  is  good  for  our  old  people 
and  children.  The  soldiers  will  never  quit  us.  This  country 
is  big,  but  it  is  small  for  the  white  people.  We  can  not  go 
any  place  and  hide  and  escape  the  white  man,  for  they  are 
many ;  they  are  like  the  running  waters.  It  is  well  enough 
for  us  to  say  that  we  are  not  afraid  of  death.  I  have  often 
said  that,  but  I  tell  you  when  I  take  the  matter  up,  I  see  I 
used  my  w(3rds  in  too  much  haste.  Life  is  sweet.  I  know 
it.  You'  can't  deny  it.  The  soldiers  and  Bogus  Charley, 
Hooker  Jim  and  Shaknasty  Jim  will  be  here  tomorrow  to 
take  you  all  to  Fairchild's  Ranch.  I  will  help  them.  It  is 
best  for  all  of  you  to  give  yourselves  up,  quit  fighting.    We 

133 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

will  be  well  treated.  I  know  it.  If  you  men  resist,  tomor- 
row I  will  shoot  some  of  you.  You  have  to  be  taken.  It  is 
better  for  you  all  to  be  taken  by  your  own  men  than  to  be 
taken  by  the  soldiers." 

One  old  man,  bent  in  form,  stepped  to  one  side  and  said: 
"My  children,  let  us  all  go  with  Scarface  Charley  in  the 
morning.  He  has  saved  us.  His  words  are  true,  I  am  tired, 
I  do  not  want  to  be  shot.  I  have  not  taken  any  hand  in 
any  of  your  battles  yet,  and  I  won't  either,  so  let  us  be  ready 
to  go  to  the  enemy's  camp  tomorrow.  You  see  the  soldiers 
will  not  hurt  us.  They  did  not  hurt  this  man,"  pointing  to 
Scarface.  "I  know  some  of  us  will  be  hung,  but  what  of  it? 
We  might  just  as  well  rest  a  little  before  we  die,  anyway." 

After  the  old  fellow  had  made  his  talk,  the  men  all  agreed 
to  give  up  their  arms  the  following  day,  but  Black  Jim  and 
the  Doctor  they  both  said,  *'We  will  not  give  up."  Scarface 
said:  ''You  had  better,  because  I  will  not  quit  you.  I  will 
get  you  in  time."  Black  Jim  said:  "I  will  not  quarrel  with 
you.  You  leave  me  alone.  I  will  do  the  same  with  you." 
Charley  said:  ''You  may  leave  me  alone,  but  I  will  not  let 
you  get  away."  They  all  went  to  bed  to  get  what  little  sleep 
they  could  as  it  was  near  the  morning  hour. 

Just  when  it  was  getting  a  little  light,  Black  Jim  got  up. 
He  got  his  gun  and  all  his  cartridges.  He  had  no  one  to 
bid  farewell  to  as  he  had  no  wife.  He  sneaked  over  to  the 
Doctor's  camp  and  awoke  him  up.  He  told  him  he  was  going 
to  leave.  The  Doctor  said :  "Wait,  I  will  go  with  you."  He 
prepared  for  flight.  The  Doctor  told  his  wife  and  daughter 
not  to  feel  bad  about  him,  that  he  saw  no  way  that  the  sol- 
dieds  would  spare  his  life,  as  he  had  killed  five  or  six  set- 
tlers. His  wife  and  daughter  hung  on  him  and  begged  for 
him  not  to  go,  but  he  told  them  that  he  must  go,  so  he  did. 
They  stole  silently  out  of  camp,  taking  a  course  north  on  the 
backbone  of  Sheep  Mountain.  About  the  same  time  the 
boys  in  blue  at  Fairchild's  ranch  was  mounting  their  horses 
and  cracking  jokes.  Some  saying  they  were  going  to  bring 
nice  looking  Modoc  girls  in  behind  their  saddles.  The  Irish 
soldier  said :  "Begorra,  I'll  turn  me  horse  over  to  the  oldest 

134 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

and  meanest  old  hag  in  the  bunch  and  hoof  it  back."  They 
started  for  Black  Jim's  camp,  the  three  Modoc  Indian  scouts 
in  the  lead. 

When  the  troops  gained  the  top  of  the  mountain,  they 
were  met  by  Scarf  ace.  He  told  Lieut.  Anderson  "the  In- 
dians were  all  ready  to  start  for  Fairchild's.  Only  two  men 
ran  off  this  morning,  me  see  him  go,  me  no  say  anything, 
me  get  him  today,  you  bet,  me  get  him."  Scarf  ace  turned 
back,  followed  by  the  grinning  soldier  boys.  They  rode  on 
for  a  few  minutes.  Scarf  ace  halted  and  said:  "Anderson 
you  all  look  out  good.  Maybe  him  Black  Jim  and  Curley 
Headed  Doctor  here  some  place.  Maybe  he  like  shoot  sol- 
dier." The  Irishman  said:  "Begorra,  I  hope  he  won't  take 
me  for  his  target,  the  bloody  coward.  If  he  was  here  now, 
I'd  treat  him  to  a  chew  of  my  tobacco."  Scarf  ace  started 
again,  all  following.  Every  boy  was  casting  glances  in  all 
directions. 

Scarface  rode  up  to  a  thick  clump  of  Junipers  and  Ma- 
hogany s  and  dismounted,  saying:  "You  keep  still."  He 
went  into  the  woods  and  in  a  few  minutes  came  out  with 
sixty  or  seventy  people  following  him,  Indian  fashion,  single 
file,  some  of  them  almost  nude.  They  were  a  sorry  looking 
lot.  They  all  lined  up  in  front  of  the  soldiers.  The  men  all 
stepped  forward  and  laid  down  their  guns.  Not  a  word  was 
spoken  during  this  time.  Scarface  said:  "Mr.  Anderson, 
how  do  you  like  the  way  I  do  business?"  Lieut.  Anderson: 
"Fine,  Charley,  fine.    Now,"  he  said,  "we  will  go." 

Scarface  said:  "Suppose  you  no  like  take  him  Injun  guns, 
Injuns  take  him  long;  he  no  shoot  you."  The  Lieutenant 
said,  "All  right.  Tell  them  to  carry  their  guns  down  to  the 
ranch."  Scarface  said:  "Anderson,  you  and  Hooker  Jim, 
Shaknasty  Jim,  and  Bogus  Charley  and  soldiers,  take  these 
Indians  down  to  camp.  You  give  me  five  men,  I  go  get  him 
Doctor  and  Black  Jim.  I  want  five  good  men,  maybe  we 
fight  like  hell,  sure." 

So  Lieutenant  Anderson  detailed  five  men  to  go  with 
Scarface.  Scarface  led  his  men  down  on  the  west  side  of 
Sheep  Mountain  about  three  hundred  yards.     He  stopped 

135 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

and  looked  down  into  the  valley  for  some  time.  Finally  he 
said:  'We  go  this  way,"  pointing  north.  He  took  the  lead 
and  did  not  stop  or  say  a  word  until  he  had  gone  about  a 
mile.  He  stopped  and  told  the  soldiers:  "We  will  now  go 
back  on  the  mountain."  He  turned  due  east  up  the  moun- 
tain, and  when  in  about  fifty  yards  of  the  summit  he  told 
the  men  to  tie  their  horses  and  follow  him.  They  did  as 
he  said,  wondering  what  he  was  trying  to  do.  When  they 
got  right  up  on  the  backbone  of  the  mountain  Scarface  said, 
"Now,  soldiers,  look  good  down  that  way,"  pointing  south 
in  the  direction  of  the  last  Modoc  camp  where  Lieutenant 
Anderson  had  taken  charge  of  the  Modocs  just  a  short  time 
before.  They  could  see  away  off  down  on  the  east  side  of 
the  mountain  near  the  Fairchild  Ranch,  Lieutenant  Ander- 
son and  the  Indians  working  their  way  down  now.  "Now 
you  see,"  says  Scarface,  "Black  Jim  and  Doctor,  him  some 
place  back  there,"  pointing  again  south.  "He  watch  sol- 
diers and  Injuns,  pretty  soon  him  both  come  this  way.  We 
get  him  pretty  quick.  You  bet,  he  no  fool  me.  Me  Injun, 
too.    I  know  what  he  try  do." 

While  he  was  thus  talking  he  stopped  and  whispered, 
"Get  down  low,  me  see  him  now.  Him  right  there,"  point- 
ing over  a  big  pile  of  rocks.  "Don't  you  soldiers  say  any- 
thing. Just  wait.  Me  talk  to  them.  You  all  watch  me. 
When  me  go  up  to  him  mans  and  talk,  spose  he  no  talk  good, 
me  take  my  hat  off.  You  all  come  to  me  quick.  Be  ready 
to  shoot.  Maybe  so  he  like  fight.  Me  see  when  he  come 
close."  About  the  time  he  had  instructed  the  boys  what  to 
do.  Black  Jim  and  his  pal  was  within  fifty  feet  of  Scarface 
Charley  and  the  soldier  boys,  walking  slow  with  their  guns 
grasped  in  their  right  hands.  They  both  stopped  and 
watched  the  movements  of  the  soldiers  camped  at  Fairchild 
Ranch.  Jim  said :  "Where  shall  we  go.  Doctor  ?"  Just  then 
Scarface  Charley  stepped  on  a  big  rock  and  said,  "Go  down 
to  Fairchild's."  Black  Jim  and  Curley  Headed  Doctor 
wheeled  around  with  their  guns  to  their  right  shoulders. 
Scarface  said :  "None  of  that,  my  people.  I'm  not  wanting 
to  fight,  so  just  lowrr  your  guns.    Let's  talk  some.    I  have 

136 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

been  looking  for  you.  I  want  to  take  you  where  the  other 
Modocs  are." 

Black  Jim  replied  by  saying,  "It  is  you  eh?  You  follow 
me.  What  have  I  done  to  you  that  you  won't  let  me  be? 
You  want  to  get  me  and  turn  me  over  to  the  enemy  and  let 
them  hang  or  shoot  me,  eh.  You  want  to  make  more  money 
by  selling  me  to  the  enemy,  eh.  Meaning  you  will  never 
take  me  alive.  I  will  die  before  I'll  surrender  to  one  of  my 
own  kind." 

Scarface  said:  ''Jim,  don't  talk  about  dying.  Maybe  you 
will,  for  I  am  not  alone,  I  have  plenty  of  help  near  at  hand." 

The  Doctor  said  not  a  word.  He  was  standing  like  one  in 
a  dream. 

"Charley,"  said  Black  Jim,  "you  lie  in  everything.  You 
are  alone,  you  know  it.  Your  life  is  in  our  hands.  We  kill 
you  today." 

Scarface  took  his  hat  off  just  as  Jim  raised  his  gun.  Five 
carbines  flashed  in  the  sun,  every  one  pointed  right  at  Black 
Jim's  breast.  Black  Jim  lowered  his  trusty  gun,  saying, 
"You  have  got  me,  I  quit.    Charley,  you  are  a  devil." 

Charley  said:  "Both  of  you  hand  me  your  guns  and  re- 
volvers." 

They  both  did  it  smiling.  The  carbines  was  still  pointed 
at  the  two  braves.  Finally  Charley  said,  "Well  soldier  boys, 
I  guess  he  no  shoot  now.    You  take  down  your  guns  now." 

The  soldiers  stepped  forward  all  laughing  and  shook 
hands  with  the  two  prisoners.  Four  of  the  men  went  and 
got  the  horses.  When  they  got  around  they  all  started  down 
the  mountain  towards  the  soldiers'  camp  with  their  prison- 
ers in  the  lead. 

General  Jeff  C.  Davis  was  very  glad  when  they  arrived 
with  the  two  prisoners.  That  evening  the  Modoc  prisoners 
had  a  good,  square  meal  for  the  first  time  since  the  peace 
commissioners  were  murdered. 


137 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Colonel  Mason  gets  orders  to  trail  Captain  Jack  and  Schonchin  down. — 
Jack  and  his  followers  meet  Ha-kar-gar-ush  and  his  men  and  women 
near  Steele's  Swamp,  Calif. — Ha-kar-gar-ush  and  Captain  Jack  make 
their  camps  together,  north  of  Steele's  Swamp  a  short  distance. — 
General  Wheaton  with  a  company  of  cavalrymen  with  Scarface 
Charley  and  Bogus  Charley  as  scouts  takes  up  Captain  Jack's  trail 
near  Clear  Lake,  California,  and  follow  it  to  their  camp. — They  had  a 
sharp  running  fight  for  about  seven  miles. — Some  Indians  captured 
at  camp. — None  were  killed  on  either  side. 

I  will  now  lead  the  kind  reader  back  to  Captain  Jack  and 
Schonchin  and  see  what  they  have  been  doing  since  Long 
Jim  and  his  father  joined  them  in  their  camp  on  the  east 
side  of  Bryant  Mountain.  About  the  middle  of  May,  1873, 
Long  Jim  and  his  father  left  Jack's  camp  and  went  to 
Yainax.  Jack,  a  few  days  after,  went  towards  Steele  Swamp, 
California.  When  he  got  near  Steele  Swamp,  he  met  Ha- 
kar-gar-ush  and  a  few  of  his  men  and  families.  Ha-kar- 
gar-ush  is  known  now  by  the  name  of  Ben  Lawver.  When 
Captain  Jack  and  Black  Jim  had  the  row  in  the  Lava  Beds 
and  finally  split  up,  Ha-kar-gar-ush  or  Ben  Lawver,  his 
father  and  some  ten  or  fifteen  others  went  towards  Happy 
Camp,  California,  but  after  traveling  all  day  stayed  over 
night  about  eight  or  nine  miles  south  of  Clear  Lake,  Cali- 
fornia. They  stayed  right  there,  game  being  plentiful. 
One  day  one  of  the  young  men  saw  quite  a  bunch  of  horse- 
men. He  reported  to  Ha-kar-gar-ush.  So  the  next  afternoon 
Ha-kar-gar-ush  moved  northeast  a  few  miles.  There  they 
met  Capt.  Jack  and  Schonchin  so  when  they  all  got  together 
there  was  quite  a  little  crowd  of  them,  but  they  were  mostly 
women  and  children.  Everything  seemed  to  be  all  right. 
The  women  all  turned  out  and  gathered  kash  or  epaws,  a 
little  potato  that  grew  all  through  the  Modoc  country.  What 
few  men  there  was  there  fished  and  killed  other  game  such 
as  deer,  antelope,  etc.  One  day,  about  noon,  Capt.  Jack's 
man  on  picket  duty  reported  that  there  was  two  horsemen 
approaching  their  camp  from  the  southwest.    Jack  and  Ha- 

138 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


kar-gar-ush  secreted  their  men  in  a  little  basin.  Jack  and 
two  or  three  others  took  their  stand  near  Jack's  lodge  with 
their  guns  near  at  hand  in  case  they  should  want  them.  The 
two  men  came  up  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek  from 

Jack  and  their  lodges.  They 
sat  on  their  horses  with 
their  guns  ready  for  in- 
stant use.  These  men  were 
Scarface  Charley  and  Bo- 
gus Charley.  Capt.  Jack 
was  the  first  one  to  speak. 
He  said:  "My  people,  what 
do  you  men  seek  ?  Tell  me, 
do  you  want  to  talk  to  me 
or  do  you  want  to  fight 
me  ?  I  am  ready  to  talk  or 
fight.  I  know  you  have 
turned  against  me  for  mon- 
ey. My  heart  tells  me  so. 
You  are  no  better  than  the 
coyotes  that  run  in  the  val- 
leys. So  explain  your  mis- 
sion.   I  demand  it." 

Scarface  Charley  replied, 
saying:  "Wait,  my  husky 
chief,  I  will  be  at  your  side 
in  a  few  counts." 

He  and  his  companion 
-  reined  their  horses  up  the 
stream  to  a  ford  they  both 
knew  of.  When  they  arrived,  Jack,  Ha-kar-gar-ush  and  a 
few  others  were  sitting  down  on  some  rocks  near  Jack's 
lodge  with  their  trusty  rifles  across  their  laps.  None  of 
them  spoke  a  word.  The  two  scouts  dismounted,  secured 
their  horses,  took  their  guns  in  their  left  hands,  walked  up 
right  among  Jack's  men  and  offered  their  hands.  None  of 
the  others  offered  their  hands  in  greeting  to  the  scouts. 
They  sat  on  the  rocks  motionless  and  silent,  neither  looking 


..^^ 

si 

^^ 

V 

mhrs^^    v-tW        '%mB!^^Bb 

,v;  *\-''! 

^ 

JHI' 

1 

Hi.   ,  M 

i 

Ben  Lawver,  Yellow  Hammer,  a  Mo- 
doc warrior.  Indian. name  Ha-kar- 
gar-ush.  Returned  from  Quapaw, 
Oklahoma,  a  rew  years  ago  and  now 
residing  at  the  Yainax,  Klamath  In- 
dian Reservation,  Oregon. 


139 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

to  the  right  or  left.  Bogus  Charley  backed  away  from  them 
for  a  few  steps  and  said:  ''This  is  a  nice  way  to  treat  your 
own  companions.  What  do  you  all  mean  ?  Am  I  a  stranger 
or  am  I  a  dog  ?  Tell  me  quick.  I  have  no  time  to  fool  away. 
Yonder  sun  waits  not  for  me  or  for  you  either.  I  come  to 
you  with  good  news.  You  ought  to  be  glad  that  I  and  your 
friend,  Scarface  Charley,  have  not  left  this  work  to  the  sol- 
diers. You  know  wherever  the  soldiers  find  or  see  you  they 
will  shoot  you  like  we  shoot  the  deer,  bear,  coyotes  and  all 
other  wild  animals.  Why  do  you  treat  me  in  this  shameful 
way?  Am  I  not  a  Modoc?  I  am  a  Modoc.  Did  I  not  face 
the  white  man,  his  guns  in  battle  by  your  side?  Am  I  a 
coward?  Did  I  not  show  you  how  a  Modoc  could  fight  for 
his  rights?  I  left  you  as  a  friend  and  seek  you  as  one.  I 
am  here  in  your  behalf.  I  do  not  want  to  be  shot  down  on 
sight.  You  still  stand  a  show  to  live  if  you  do  the  right 
thing.  Do  battle  no  more.  Give  up  your  gun.  Go  with 
Charley  and  me  to  the  soldiers'  camp.  Fight  no  more.  You 
will  get  justice,  believe  me.  I  tell  you  the  truth.  You  know 
it  is  better  to  meet  Scarface  Charley  and  I  here  than  to  meet 
your  enemies.  I  gave  myself  up  some  time  ago,  also  all  the 
others.    We  are  all  right  now.    We  get  all  we  want  to  eat." 

At  this  stage  of  Bogus  Charley's  talk,  Capt.  Jack  jumped 
to  his  feet  and  said:  "Bogus,  say  no  more.  You  have  said 
enough.  You  say  you  seek  me  as  a  friend.  I  know  you  are 
a  Modoc,  and  so  is  your  companion."  pointing  at  Scarface 
Charley,  "but  you  are  not  my  friends  today.  You  know  it. 
I  am  not  blind,  neither  am  I  a  fool.  You  come  here,  both 
riding  soldiers'  horses,  armed  with  government  guns.  You 
have  told  me  that  you  gave  yourselves  up,  also  all  of  my 
other  people,  except  the  few  that  are  here  with  me  now. 
You  are  now  working  for  the  soldiers.  You  intend  to  buy 
your  liberty  and  freedom  by  running  me  to  earth  and  de- 
livering me  to  the  soldiers,  which  you  and  your  friend  here," 
pointing  to  Scarface  Charley,  "will  never  accomplish.  I  will 
die  by  my  own  hand  before  I  let  you  get  the  praise  of  cap- 
turing me,  you  hearty  dogs,  both  of  you.  I  little  suspected 
you  when  I  agreed  to  kill  Canby  when  you  forced  me  to  do 

140 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

that  cowardly  act,  that  you  would  turn  traitor  to  me,  for 
your  freedom  and  money.  This  proves  to  me  that  you  men 
are  cowards.  You  realize  that  life  is  sweet,  but  you  did  not 
think  so  when  you  men  forced  me  to  promise  that  I  would 
kill  that  man,  Canby.  I  knew  life  was  sweet  all  the  time; 
that  is  the  reason  I  did  not  want  to  fight  the  white  people. 
I  knew  if  we  did,  it  would  be  all  off  with  me  and  my  people, 
but  I  was  mistaken.  I  thought  we  would  all  stand  side  by 
side  if  we  did  fight  and  die  fighting.  I  see  now  I  am  the 
only  one  to  forfeit  my  life  for  killing  Canby,  perhaps  one 
or  two  others.  As  you  say,  you  and  all  the  others  that  gave 
themselves  up  are  getting  along  fine,  and  plenty  to  eat,  you 
say.  You  have  made  your  point  win  all  right  so  far,  but 
we  shall  see  it  may  turn  out  that  you  and  your  dog  com- 
panion will  not  be  able  to  reach  the  soldiers'  camp  as  well 
and  as  hearty  as  you  left  it  when  you  took  up  my  trail.  You 
know,  Bogus,  sometimes  a  man  gets  blind  and  shoots  his 
own  friends.  I  am  getting  blind  right  along.  It  makes  my 
blood  boil  to  think  that  you  had  the  cheek  to  come  here  and 
tell  me  that  you  was  my  friend,  and  was  here  in  my  behalf. 
How  could  you  expect  me  to  believe  such  stuff?  You  are 
here  to  lie  and  deceive  me  like  you  did  when  you  forced  me 
to  murder  General  Canby,  saying  you  would  all  fight  to 
the  last.  This  looks  like  fighting  and  standing  by  my  side. 
Oh,  you  bird-hearted  men,  you  turned  against  me,  but  you 
shall  not  enjoy  your  cowardly  liberty  many  days.  The  only 
way  you  can  get  the  best  of  me  is  to  shoot  me  right  now. 
You  know  that  you  cannot  do  that,  for  behind  me,  if  you 
will  notice,  there  is  two  or  three  guns  pointing  straight  at 
your  dirty  dog  hearts.  You  offer  to  use  your  guns.  You 
are  dead  dogs,  both  of  you.  Now,  what  have  you  men  to 
offer  me  as  an  explanation  as  to  your  conduct  towards  me 
and  my  friend  Ha-kar-gar-ush  here?" 

Just  about  the  time  Captain  Jack  finished  talking  three 
or  four  women  came  running  in  camp  screaming  and  said 
the  soldiers  was  right  among  them.  Jack's  men  all  jumped 
to  their  feet. 


141 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  XIV 

Hooker  Jim  and  Shaknasty  Jim  overtook  General  Wheaton  and  his  men 
on  the  south  shores  of  Clear  Lake  and  told  them  that  they  saw  smoke 
north  of  Steele's  Swamp,  California. — Wheaton  dismounts  his  troops 
and  sends  Bogus  Charley  and  Scarface  Charley  to  locate  Jack  and 
Schonchin. — Jack  and  Schonchin  and  Ha-kar-gar-ush  found  by  the 
two  scouts. — Wheaton  follows  with  his  troops  and  other  two  scouts 
and  surprises  the  Indians  in  camp. — Captain  Jack  makes  his  escape, 
but  is  captured  the  next  day  near  the  head  of  Langells  Valley,  Oregon. 

Hooker  Jim  took  Scarface  Charley's  and  Bogus  Charley's 
trail  and  followed  it  with  Wheaton  and  his  men  right  at  his 
heels  about  half  an  hour  after  the  other  two  Modoc  scouts 
had  left.  Shaknasty  Jim  went  about  200  yards  in  advance  of 
the  troops.  When  he 
got  in  about  a  mile  of 
Jack's  camp  he  saw 
two  squaws  crossing 
a  little  valley  going 
south,  towards  the 
smoke  that  he  saw 
that  morning.  H  e 
turned  his  horse  and 
met  General  Wheat- 
on in  a  brisk  run  and 
told  him  what  he 
saw.  He  told  the  offi- 
cer that  he  knew  the 
two  women  he  >saw 
had  been  out  digging 
kask  or  epaws,  and 
they  were  going  back 
to  camp.  He  said, 
"Now,  if  you  will  fol- 
low me  with  your 
men,  I  will  lead  you 

rieht  upon  their  camp     Schonchin,  or  Skonches  Rock,  northeast  from 
^  ..r  .Li_  n  Gen.  Gillem's  camp.    Facing  Tule  Lake,  Cal- 

from  the  north.  ifornia 


142 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Wheaton  told  him  to  go.  He  would  be  right  with  him. 
Hooker  Jim  headed  due  north  until  he  got  to  the  creek  that 
Jack  and  his  followers  were  camped  on,  about  two  miles 
below. 

Hooker,  after  they  all  crossed  the  creek  which  is  known 
to  the  whites  as  Willow  Creek,  headed  northeast  going  to 
the  little  valley  where  he  saw  two  women.  He  showed  the 
tracks  to  the  officer.  He  then  followed  the  trail  right  up 
to  the  North  Bluff  of  Willow  Creek.  They  dismounted  and 
were  just  in  the  act  of  tying  their  horses  when  they  were 
discovered  by  some  other  women  that  were  going  out  to 
dig  epaws.  Two  braves  that  were  near  the  top  of  the  bluff 
gained  the  top  by  a  few  jumps  and  opened  fire  on  the  troops. 
Capt.  Jack,  Schonchin  and  two  or  three  others  started  to 
the  two  men  on  the  bluff  to  help  them.  They  had  gone  over 
thirty  yards  when  they  saw  the  troops  lined  along  the  bluff 
pouring  volley  after  volley  right  in  the  camp.  Jack  and 
Schonchin  turned  right  down  the  creek  and  headed  for  a 
dense  growth  of  willows.  Bogus  Charley  caught  Schonchin 
before  he  reached  the  willows  and  threw  him  to  the  ground 
and  held  him  until  some  of  the  soldiers  got  to  him.  Jack 
gained  the  willow  thicket  safe.  Scarface  Charley  made  a 
manly  effort  to  capture  Ha-kar-gar-ush  or  Ben  Lawver,  as 
he  is  known  now.  Ben  Lawver  was  too  fast  for  him.  Scar- 
face  Charley  told  me  in  New  York  City  in  1875,  that  he 
could  have  killed  Ben  Lawver  easily  that  day  near  Steele's 
Swamp,  California,  but  he  said  Ha-kar-gar-ush  was  a  good 
Indian;  that  he  was  such  a  coward  he  did  not  believe  that 
he  fired  one  shot  at  any  white  man  during  their  fighting  in 
the  lava  beds. 

The  two  men  that  opened  fire  on  the  north  bluff  of  Wil- 
low creek  were  both  taken  prisoners.  Jack  kept  up  a  fire 
on  the  soldiers  and  the  boys  were  afraid  to  go  in  the  thicket 
after  him.  I  do  not  blame  them.  Two  men  and  three  wo- 
men got  in  the  thicket  with  Capt.  Jack,  under  cover  of  the 
creek,  the  men  had  left  their  guns  in  camp.  The  reader  can 
imagine  why  they  left  their  guns  behind,  they  did  not  have 
time  to  seek  fire  arms.    The  willow  thicket  looked  good  to 

143 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

them.  One  of  the  fellows  named  Jerry  Hubbard  died  at  my 
place  on  Whiskey  Creek,  Oregon,  Klamath  Reservation, 
April,  1898. 

Ha-kar-gar-ush  gave  the  scouts  and  troops  the  dodge, 
struck  due  north  towards  Horsefly  Valley,  Oregon,  some 
seven  or  eight  others  with  him,  mostly  women,  two  children. 
Ben  Lawver's  father  and  mother  with  three  others,  went  up 
Willow  Creek.  It  seems  strange  to  say  that  not  one  was  hit 
on  either  side  where  there  was  so  much  shooting  done  by 
both  sides.  Their  aim  was  poor.  Capt.  Jack's  two  wives 
and  child,  and  sub-chief  Schonchin's  family,  and  all  the 
others  were  captured  right  in  camp  by  the  four  Modoc 
scouts. 

Part  of  the  troops  were  laying  for  Capt.  Jack  and  the 
others  were  after  one  man  and  his  wife.  The  boys  had  a 
running  fight  with  him  for  about  seven  miles.  It  got  dark, 
the  soldiers  had  to  give  up  the  chase.  Ben  Lawver  and  his 
father  and  the  man  that  had  the  seven  mile  fight  with  the 
soldiers  all  met  after  dark  in  a  little  valley  about  nine  miles 
north  of  Steele's  Swamp  which  is  now  known  as  Willow 
Valley.  They  all  stayed  over  night  right  where  they  found 
one  another. 

Capt.  Jack,  Jerry  Hubbard  and  others  escaped  under  cov- 
er of  darkness.  They  aimed  to  get  back  to  their  camp  on 
the  east  side  of  Bryant  Mountain,  west  side  of  Langell's 
Valley,  Oregon.  Next  morning  the  troops  took  the  willow 
thicket  by  charging  but  was  disappointed  to  find  that  Jack 
and  the  others  had  taken  their  departure.  General  Wheat- 
on  ordered  the  troops  to  break  camp.  He  detailed  five  men 
to  go  with  Scarf  ace  Charley  and  five  men  to  go  with  Hooker 
Jim  and  Shaknasty  Jim.  He  told  Bogus  Charley  to  ac- 
company him  and  the  rest  of  the  troops  to  take  the  prison- 
ers to  Col.  Mason's  camp  on  the  peninsula  on  Tule  Lake. 
Gen.  Wheaton  arrived  at  Mason's  camp  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  same  day  he  left.  Capt.  Jack's  last  stand  near  Steele's 
Swamp,  California,  a  distance  of  about  twenty-  one  miles. 

Scarface  Charley  took  the  trail  of  Ben  Lawver,  the  five 
soldiers   with   him.   They   found   where   the   Indians   had 

144 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

camped  in  Willow  Valley  about  ten  o'clock.  Scarface  and 
the  soldiers  followed  the  trail  of  the  Indians  on  a  gallop, 
although  the  country  the  Indians  traveled  through  was 
very  rocky. 

I  want  to  say  here  that  Scarface  Charley  was  among  the 
best  trailers  Capt.  Jack  had. 

When  Scarface  got  near  the  head  of  Langell's  Valley, 
Oregon,  he  stopped  his  horse  and  pointed  off  down  the 
slope  saying,  ''Yonder  they  are.  They  are  coming  back  this 
way;  get  off,  boys.  We  will  wait  for  them  here,  and  when 
they  get  about  in  the  center  of  that  flat  we  will  charge 
them." 

About  that  time  they  heard  some  shots  south  of  them, 
not  far  off.  The  Indians  that  Scarface  was  lying  in  wait 
for  gained  the  open  flat  about  the  time  they  heard  the  shots. 
Scarface  said  to  the  soldiers:  "Now  get  ready.  Keep  be- 
hind me.  Do  not  shoot  till  they  show  fight.  I  think  we  can 
take  them  without  firing  a  shot." 

Charley  gave  the  word  and  lit  out  on  a  run  as  fast  as  his 
horse  could  go.  He  left  the  soldiers  way  back  in  the  rear. 
The  Indians  did  not  see  Scarface  until  he  was  within  fifty 
yards  of  them.  When  they  did  see  him  going  towards  them 
with  his  right  hand  up  saying :  ''Heh  tuck  gatt  kai  duks  ah 
yudah  tuk/^  meaning  in  English,  "Stay  where  you  are,  do 
not  do  any  shooting."  The  Indians  all  stopped  and  stood 
still.  The  two  men  that  had  guns  never  took  them  off  their 
shoulders.  The  five  soldiers  rode  up  slow,  laughing.  Scar- 
face wanted  to  knew  where  Ben  Lawver  and  his  father 
were.  The  man  that  had  the  seven  mile  running  fight  with 
the  soldiers  the  evening  before  told  Scarface  Charley  that 
Ben  Lawver,  wife,  father  and  mother  and  another  young 
man  had  left  them  early  that  morning  saying  he  was  going 
back  to  the  lava  beds  to  hide.  Scarface  told  the  Indians  that 
he  would  take  the  nearest  route  for  the  penninsula  with 
them,  so  they  started  on  a  direct  line  for  the  penninsula  on 
Tule  Lake.  When  they  got  down  on  Lost  River  about  the 
upper  end  of  Langell's  Valley,  Oregon,  near  where  Malone's 

145 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Ranch  is  now,*  they  saw  Capt.  Jack  running  for  all  that 
was  in  him  with  Hooker  Jim  and  two  soldiers  in  pursuit. 
Scarface  Charley  reined  his  horse  in  ahead  of  Jack  and 
told  him  to  stop.  Jack  was  out  of  wind.  He  fell  to  the  ground 
and  wept  like  a  child.  Finally  he  got  up  and  told  the  sol- 
diers he  was  ready  to  die  or  go  with  them.  One  soldier  told 
Jack  after  Scarface  Charley  told  him  what  he  said  that  no 
one  would  offer  to  hurt  him  if  he  would  go  along  quietly. 
Jack  gave  his  gun  and  belt  up,  had  only  five  cartridges 
in  the  belt  and  none  in  his  gun.  When  the  scouts  and  sol- 
diers got  all  the  prisoners  together,  they  had  them  all  but 
Ben  Lawver,  his  wife,  father  and  mother,  and  the  young 
man.  When  Jack  made  his  escape  near  Steele's  Swamp  with 
the  two  men  and  three  women,  they  went  down  Willow 
Creek  a  short  distance  then  they  left  the  creek  and  took  a 
direct  line  for  the  southeast  slope  of  Bryant  Mountain, 
but  daylight  came  so  they  were  afraid  to  travel  and  they 
went  in  hiding  near  the  head  of  Langell's  Valley.  Hooker 
Jim,  Shaknasty  Jim  and  the  five  soldiers  ran  onto  them 
just  about  the  same  time  Scarface  Charley  sighted  the  ones 
he  and  the  soldiers  took. 

When  Capt.  Jack  seen  he  was  found  he  took  a  shot  at  his 
trailers  and  dodged  into  the  brush.  The  boys  fired  a  few 
shots  into  the  brush.  The  other  two  men  and  three  women 
walked  right  up  to  the  soldiers  and  gave  themselves  up. 
The  two  men  did  not  have  any  fire  arms.  They  left  their 
guns  the  day  before  in  camp  near  Steele's  Swamp. 

Hooker  Jim,  after  waiting  for  some  time  for  Jack  to 
come  out  and  give  himself  up,  was  shouting  to  Jack  all  the 
while.  Jack  told  him  if  he  wanted  him  he  could  come  in  the 
brush  and  get  him.  Hooker  Jim  asked  two  of  the  soldiers 
to  accompany  him  into  the  thicket.  "Come,  boys,  he  can 
not  kill  all  of  us.  One  of  us  will  get  him,  sure.  We  will  go  a 
few  steps  apart."  So  two  soldiers  stepped  aside.  Both  said, 
"Go,  Jim,  we  are  with  you."  So  when  the  three  got  into 
the  brush  Jack  darted  out  of  the  brush  and  started  on  a  run 
east.  Hooker  got  a  glimpse  of  the  fleeing  chief.  He  called 

♦Southeast  end  of  Langells  Valley,  about  25  miles  from  Bonanza,  Oregon. 

146 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

to  the  soldiers  and  chased  him  up  the  slope.  The  other  three 
soldiers  did  not  join  in  the  chase  because  they  did  not  know 
that  Jack  had  skipped.  Jack,  after  running  about  half  a 
mile,  almost  ran  right  against  Scarface  Charley's  soldiers 
and  other  prisoners. t  Capt.  Jack  made  his  last  run  in 
vain.  The  once  proud  chief  of  the  Modocs,  the  brave  man, 
the  honest  man.  He  was  known  by  many  white  men  to  be  a 
proud,  honest,  and  upright  man,  but  on  the  day  he  was  cap- 
tured, and  captured  by  his  own  men,  he  felt  degraded,  his 
manhood  left  him.  As  he  said,  "I  am  ready  to  die." 


'     I     M     M 


^m 
S 


A  company  of  U.  S.  soldiers  at  Old  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon,  under  (1) 
Col.  Pollock,  U.  S.  A.;  (2)  Major  Beauregard,  U.  S.  A.;  and  (3)  Capt. 
Anderson,  U.  S.  A..  This  photo  shows  the  soldiers'  headquarters.  To 
the  left  of  the  building  was  the  guard-house,  opposite  to  where  the 
four  Modocs  were  buried.    From  the  collection  of  Mrs.  Melhase. 


fCapt.  Jack  Captured  June  1st,  1873. 

147 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Colonel  Mason  sends  messenger  to  John  Fairchild's  Ranch,  California, 
stating  to  Jeff  C.  Davis,  who  was  in  command  at  that  place,  holding 
Black  Jim,  Curly  Headed  Doctor  and  some  sixty  or  seventy  other 
Modoc  prisoners,  that  he  had  Captain  Jack  and  John  Schonchin  and 
their  families  and  forty  or  fifty  other  prisoners. — Some  at  large  yet. — 
General  Jeff  C.  Davis  starts  with  his  prisoners  second  day  after  he 
learned  of  Captain  Jack's  capture,  arrives  safe  in  two  days'  travel  at 
Colonel  Mason's  headquarters,  on  the  peninsula,  Tule  Lake,  Califor- 
nia.— Six  wounded  Modoc  prisoners  shot  to  death  by  Oregon  Volun- 
teers. 

When  General  Jeff  C.  Davis  got  word  that  Capt.  Jack 
and  sub-chief  Schonchin  was  captured  with  their  families 
and  forty  or  fifty  others  he  gave  orders  to  break  up  camp 
and  get  ready  for  the  journey  to  Mason's  headquarters  on 
the  Tule  Lake  peninsula,  California.  In  two  days  Davis 
started  with  his  prisoners.  He  had  under  his  command 
about  two  hundred  officers  and  privates  and  nearly  one 
hundred  Modoc  prisoners  all  told.  I  have  forgotten  the 
date  of  this  move,  but  it  was  the  latter  part  of  the  month 
of  June,  1873.  Davis'  command  stopped  the  first  night  on 
Lost  River  at  a  ford  about  seven  or  eight  miles  up  the  river 
from  where  Jackson  had  his  first  fight  with  the  Modocs 
on  the  29th  day  of  November,  1872. 

The  prisoners  were  all  happy  except  Black  Jim  and  Cur- 
ley  Headed  Doctor.  They  were  both  very  sullen,  neither 
one  had  very  much  to  say.  They  were  shackled  together. 
The  big  chain  and  heavy  shackles  hurt  their  ankles.  All 
the  prisoners  ate  a  good  meal  for  supper,  but  Jim  and  the 
Doctor  they  both  refused  food.  And  when  the  whole  camp 
was  in  slumber  the  shackled  Indians  were  the  only  two 
awake.  Of  course,  the  four  soldiers  on  guard  were  wide 
awake.  Jim  and  his  pal  were  trying  to  contrive  some  plan 
to  escape  but  all  in  vain.  The  government  blacksmith  did 
not  intend  when  he  made  the  shackles  and  put  them  on  the 
two  restless  men  that  they  should  remove  them  at  will. 
No,  sir,  they  were  shackled  to  stay  shackled  until  some 
other  blacksmith  took  them  off. 

148 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Just  about  the  dawn  of  day  Black  Jim  and  Curley  Headed 
Doctor  made  a  break  for  liberty.  They  started  for  the 
river  about  fifty  yards  off.  The  guard  commanded  them 
to  stop,  bringing  his  gun  to  his  right  shoulder  at  the  same 
time.  They  did  not  obey.  They  made  a  few  more  jumps 
before  the  guard  could  fire  on  them.  The  big  chain  that 
held  them  together  got  tangled  in  a  bunch  of  sagebrush  and 


Shaknasty  Jim's  camp  in  the  Lava  Beds. 


threw  them  both  to  the  ground  on  their  faces.  The  fall 
gave  Black  Jim  a  bloody  nose.  The  guard  went  up  to  them 
and  told  them  to  get  up  and  go  to  bed.  Neither  one  moved. 
They  just  laid  just  as  they  had  fallen  and  cursed  a  blue 
streak  in  English  and  Modoc  language.  They  refused  to  go 
back  to  their  bed.  Finally  a  dozen  soldiers,  among  them 
the  Irishman  that  I  mentioned  two  chapters  back,  they  got 

149 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

around  the  two  captives;  they  tried  every  way  they  could 
think  of  to  get  the  two  Indians  to  go  back  to  camp.  No, 
they  would  not  do  anything  but  curse.  Finally  Pat,  the 
Irishman,  went  to  his  tent  and  came  back  with  a  long  rope 
in  his  hands.  He  said,  "Boys,  boys,  lave  thim  to  me.  Be- 
gorra,  I  will  show  the  devils  how  to  balk  around  soldiers. 
Let  me  at  thim.  By  the  holy  Scripture  I'll  break  thim  to 
lead.  Here,  boys,  fasten  this  rope  around  their  black  necks 
and  then  let  me  handle  the  ribbons.  I'll  bet  you,  boys,  a 
whole  plug  of  chewing  tobacco  that  they  will  follow  me." 

But  he  did  not  get  a  chance  to  test  his  rope  cure  on  the 
Indians.  The  boys  closed  in  on  the  sullen  braves,  picked 
them  up  and  carried  them  back  to  their  beds.  Some  one 
drove  a  stake  deep  in  the  ground  and  they  fastened  the 
heavy  shackle  chain  solid  to  the  stake.  By  that  time  it 
was  day,  the  soldiers  and  prisoners  all  ate  breakfast  about 
the  same  time.  All  the  Indians  were  happy  as  the  evening 
before  except  the  two  that  was  staked  out,  they  refused  to 
eat  as  usual.  Black  Jim  was  saying:  "I  wish  I  was  dead. 
Why  did  I  grow  to  manhood  ?  I  do  not  feel  like  I  am  among 
the  living.  I  do  wish  I  was  dead.  I  hope  that  I  may  die 
soon.  I  hate  these  soldiers  that  look  at  me  now  when  I  am 
in  chains  and  laugh  at  me.  If  I  was  foot  loose  and  had  a 
gun,  I'd  change  you  soldiers  from  laughing  to  crying."  He 
was  talking  in  his  own  language. 

One  young  men  that  was  sitting  near  Black  Jim — his 
name  was  Curley  Haired  Jack — said:  "Jim,  you  need  not 
pray  for  death;  you  will  die  soon  enough.  It  will  not  be 
many  moons,  when  about  half  of  us  men  will  be  swinging 
in  the  air  with  ropes  around  our  necks,  so  you  need  not  be 
afraid  that  you  will  escape.  The  big  soldier  officers  will  at- 
tend to  you  sooner  than  you  expect  it.  I  intend  to  cheat 
the  rope  and  will  cheat  it,  too;  you  see  if  I  don't."  A  few 
minutes  after  this  talk  took  place  between  the  two  braves 
they  was  all  on  the  road  headed  for  the  peninsula  on  Tule 
Lake,  California.  Gen.  Davis  arrived  with  his  prisoners 
about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  second  day  from  John 
Fairchild's  ranch,  California. 

150 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Davis  went  and  saw  Capt.  Jack  and  Schonchin  upon  his 
arrival.  After  he  had  the  talk  with  the  two  chiefs  he  met 
Bogus  Charley.  Bogus  informed  Gen.  Davis  that  all  the 
Modocs  at  large  was  not  over  twenty-five  or  twenty-six. 
While  they  were  talking,  Scarface  Charley  walked  up  to 
them  and  said:  ''Say,  I  think  some  of  our  people  coming 
over  there,"  pointing  southeast  across  a  neck  of  water. 
Davis  and  Bogus  saw  two  men  going  north  slowly.  Scar- 
face  jumped  on  his  horse  and  headed  in  a  round-about  way 
to  reach  the  two  footmen.  When  Charley  rode  up  to  them 
it  was  Ben  Lawver  and  his  old  father.  Charley  asked  where 
he  was  going.  Ben  said,  ''Anywhere's  just  to  get  captured 
by  the  soldiers  or  scouts."  Scarface  said,  "Well,  if  that  is 
all  you  want,  just  consider  yourselves  my  prisoners."  Ben 
said :  "All  right,  just  let  me  get  over  that  first  little  hill  and 
get  my  wife,  mother  and  the  boy  that  is  there."  Scarface 
said,  "No,  you  both  go  with  me.  I  will  get  some  horses  and 
go  after  your  folks."  So  Ben  and  the  old  father  went  with 
Charley  to  the  soldier  camp.  Mason  and  Gen.  Davis  re- 
ceived Ben  Lawver  and  his  father  with  kindness.  In  about 
twenty  minutes  Scarface  Charley  came  riding  up,  leading 
two  horses  with  saddles  on.  He  got  off  his  horse  and  told 
Ben  Lawver  to  get  on.  When  he  did  so,  Scarface  said, 
"Here,  lead  these  two  horses  out  to  your  folks  and  bring 
them  in  here  to  camp."  Bogus  Charley  told  Col.  Mason 
what  Scarface  was  telling  Ben  Lawver  to  do.  Mason  walked 
up  to  Scarface  Charley  and  said,  "Charley,  I  will  not  allow 
this  man  to  go  with  these  horses ;  he  will  make  his  escape 
sure.  You  go  with  him."  Scarface  said:  "Look  here,  Mr. 
Big  soldier,  me  know  what  me  do,  dis  mans  no  run  'way ;  he 

come  back  here  putty  d d  quick  too,  you  bet  life.    'Spose 

him  man  no  like  come  back  here,  he  no  come  you  see  today ; 

you  let  him  go,  he  come  back  putty  d d  quick  too,  you 

bet  him  come  back." 

Gen.  Jeff  C.  Davis  told  Col.  Mason  that  Charley  was  all 
right.  "He  understands  his  business,  Col.,  he  does."  Mason 
said,  "All  right,  Charley,  you  boss  this  job  with  my  per- 
mission."   Charley  says:  "T'ank  you,  Mason."    Ben  Law- 

151 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

ver  soon  disappeared  around  a  little  hill.  Pat,  the  Irishman, 
said:  ''Begorra,  I'll  bet  me  auld  hat  against  a  dead  rattle- 
snake, that  long-legged  Injun  will  be  in  San  Francisco  by 
this  time  tomorrow."  Pat  had  not  any  more  than  finished 
his  sentence,  Ben  Lawver  came  around  the  hill  with  his 
wife  behind  him,  and  the  other  two  riding  double  on  the 
other  horse.  Pat  says,  "By  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  long- 
legged  devil  is  a  fool.  He  does  not  know  a  good  thing  when 
he  has  got  it.  He  could  have  been  five  hundred  miles  from 
here  by  morning,  the  fool;  I'd  like  to  stampede  the  devil 
and  get  him  to  running  some  time.  I'd  like  to  blow  his 
bloody  head  off  his  shoulders  for  being  a  bloody  fool." 

Ben  rode  up  to  Gen.  Davis  smiling.  Scarface  Charley 
took  the  horses  and  picketed  them.  Gen.  Jeff  Davis,  Whea- 
ton.  Col,  Mason  and  three  or  four  other  officers  had  a  long 
talk  with  the  four  Modoc  scouts,  that  night.  Mason  pro- 
posed to  try  the  Modoc  prisoners  right  there  on  the  penin- 
sula. Davis  said  it  would  be  best  to  move  the  prisoners  to 
Fort  Klamath,  Oregon,  and  try  them  there.  So  they  all 
agreed  that  would  be  the  best  thing  to  do.  Davis  also 
learned  that  only  a  few  Modocs  had  not  been  captured, 
namely,  Modoc  George's  son  Billie,  his  wife  and  four  sisters, 
two  grown,  and  their  mother,  last  seen  near  Vanbrimer 
Mountain,  California;  Long  Jim  and  father,  last  seen  on 
Bryant  Mountain ;  two  other  old  men  and  women ;  one  boy, 
last  seen  on  Sheep  Mountain,  going  west. 

There  were  five  other  crippled  Modoc  Indians  that  were 
held  at  Fairchild's  Ranch,  during  all  the  Lava  Bed  fighting. 
They  were  crippled  in  the  first  engagement  on  November 
29th,  1872,  at  Lost  River,  I  think ;  but  anyway  they  were 
all  shot  to  death  on  June  8,  1873,  near  Adams  Point,  Tule 
Lake,  Oregon,  by  Oregon  Volunteers  under  the  command 
of  Capt.  Heizer,  while  they  were  being  hauled  to  the  head- 
quarters of  General  Davis  on  the  peninsula  to  be  delivered 
up  by  James  Fairchild.  That  was  after  some  of  the  Modocs 
had  been  made  prisoners.  The  names  of  the  five  crippled 
Modocs  that  were  shot  were  Little  John  and  wife,  Tee-Hee 
Jack,  Poney  and  Mooch. 

152 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


CHAPTER  XVI 

All  the  prisoners  moved  to  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon. — Curley  Haired  Jack 
kills  himself  the  first  night  they  camped  at  the  lower  gap  on  Lost 
River,  Oregon. — Soldiers  arrived  at  Fort  Klamath  on  the  third  day 
from  the  peninsula. — Captain  Jack,  Schonchin,  Black  Jim,  Boston 
Charley  and  Boncho  and  Slolux  on  trial  for  murder  in  July. — First 
four  condemned  and  sentenced  to  be  hung  October  3,  1873. 

In  about  ten  or  twelve  days  after  Ben  Lawver  gave  him- 
self up,  the  soldiers  all  left  the  peninsula  and  headed  for 
Fort  Klamath,  Oregon,  with  all  their  Modoc  prisoners, 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  or  sixty  all  told.  They  camped 
on  Lost  River,  Oregon,  known  as  Lower  Gap,  the  first  night, 
about  twenty-three  miles  from  the  peninsula.  Black  Jim 
and  his  pal  ate  some  that  evening. 

The  whole  camp  had  a  refreshing  night's  rest.  The  offi- 
cers gave  orders  to  get  an  early  breakfast,  so  that  they  may 
get  an  early  start.  They  wanted  to  make  the  Agency*  that 
day  if  possible,  forty  miles  away;  they  knew  that  was  a 
long  drive  to  make  with  heavy  wagons,  so  by  sun-up  most 
of  the  teams  were  ready  to  start.  The  Indians  commenced 
to  get  on  the  wagon ;  nearly  all  the  Indians  had  taken  their 
places  in  the  wagons.  A  shot  rang  out,  and  the  sound  went 
up  the  river.  The  soldiers  grasped  their  trusty  Springfield 
rifles,  all  looking  at  the  last  little  tent,  that  one  of  the 
Modoc  prisoners  had  not  taken  down.  Gen.  Wheaton  gave 
orders  to  find  out  who  fired  the  shot.  Just  about  then 
Scarface  Charley  walked  up  to  Jeff  C.  Davis  and  told  him 
that  Curley  Haired  Jack  had  shot  and  killed  himself  with 
his  own  revolver.  He  said :  "No  see  what  for  he  like  to  die 
dat  way,  bet  me  no  die  dat  way,  me  die  plenty  soon  'nuff, 
me  think." 

Curley  Haired  Jack  told  his  mother  that  morning  that 
he  did  not  intend  to  go  any  further;  he  told  her  that  he 
thought  it  was  better  for  him  to  die  with  his  own  hand, 
than  to  give  the  soldiers  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  him 

*Klamath  Agency,  Oregon. 

153 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

swinging  in  the  air,  with  a  rope  around  his  neck.  The  old 
lady  told  the  other  Indians  that  she  did  not  think  her  son 
meant  what  he  said.  The  officers  gave  orders  that  the 
man  should  be  buried  immediately.  The  boys  jumped  in 
and  went  to  work.  In  a  few  minutes  poor  Jack  was  laid  to 
rest,  just  a  few  feet  from  where  he  had  fallen  just  a  little 
while  before.  His  two  brothers  now  live  on  the  Klamath 
Indian  reservation;  the  youngest,  Chas.  S.  Hood,  is  one  of 
our  best  educated  men ;  he  is  very  smart  and  he  speaks  the 
English  language  fluently ;  he  is  well  versed  in  books.  His 
other  brother,  Robin  W.  Hood,  is  also  an  enlightened  In- 
dian, although  he  has  not  got  the  education  his  brother 
Charles  has ;  he  is  up  to  date  on  business,  that  is,  any  com- 
mon business. 

After  Curley  Haired  Jack  was  buried  the  soldiers  all 
moved  forward  with  their  prisoners.  Over  half  of  them 
were  crying.  The  next  day  after  Curley  Haired  Jack  shot 
himself  the  soldiers  all  arrived  with  their  Modoc  prisoners 
safe  at  Fort  Klamath,  where  Col.  Pollock  was  in  command. 
The  prisoners  were  all  put  in  a  big  stockade  corral  except 
the  four  scouts.  Bogus  Charley  was  chosen  boss  of  the 
other  three  scouts.  These  four  men  had  their  liberty.  They 
could  go  where  they  pleased,  and  could  almost  do  as  they 
pleased.  My  father  and  mother,  Frank  Riddle  and  Tobey 
Riddle  as  they  are  known,  was  sent  for  by  the  government 
to  act  as  interpreters.  We  were  then  living  near  Yreka, 
California.  The  leading  Modoc  prisoners  had  to  stand  trial 
for  murder.  The  trial  commenced  some  time  in  July,  1873, t 
and  lasted  nearly  the  whole  month  of  July.  Every  Modoc 
Indian  was  put  on  the  stand.  The  most  bloodthirsty  Mo- 
docs  escaped  punishment.  The  only  two  that  was  not  put 
on  the  stand  to  testify  was  Long  Jim  and  his  old  father. 
When  they  left  Bryant  Mountain  they  went  straight  to 
Yainax,  Oregon.  They  both  hid  on  a  little  island  near 
Spring  Creek  on  Spragues  River,  Oregon,  for  some  time. 
Some  of  the  old  chief  Mosen  Kosket'st  men  discovered  them 

fSth  day  of  July,  1873. 

$A  Klamath  chief,  now  deceased.    Indian  name  Monish  Nukush  Getko, 
meaning  Big  Belly. 

154 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

and  told  old  man  Schonchin,  chief  of  the  Yainax  Modocs. 
The  old  chief  sent  some  of  his  men  for  Long  Jim  and  father. 
When  the  two  men  was  taken  before  old  chief  Schonchin 
he  said  thus  to  them : 

"My  friends,  I  am  sorry  that  I  have  to  say  what  I  am 
going  to  say  to  you  both.  You  have  been  fighting  the  sol- 
diers in  the  Lava  Beds.  I  do  not  want  you  here  among 
what  few  white  people  live  with  me.  They  followed  me 
here.  We  are  here  yet.  No  white  man  or  Indians  bothers 
us  here.  You  had  the  same  chance  that  my  other  men  had. 
I  was  also  your  chief  with  my  brother  and  Captain  Jack. 
You  followed  my  brother  and  Capt.  Jack's  words  and  ways. 
Your  other  chiefs  are  now  in  a  corral  with  their  followers 
at  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon.  I  will  send  you  to  that  same 
corral  this  very  day  by  my  men,  so  that  you  may  be  under 
the  protection  of  your  chiefs.  You  are  not  wanted  here  by 
me."  So  he  told  four  of  his  men  to  get  horses  and  take  the 
two  braves  to  Fort  Klamath  and  turn  them  over  to  the 
soldiers.  Although  it  is  fifty-two  miles  to  Fort  Klamath, 
Long  Jim  and  father  was  turned  over  to  the  soldiers  that 
evening  and  was  lodged  in  the  stockade  with  the  rest  of  the 
Modoc  prisoners. 

m  -«  *  #  # 

Sa/e  Look  at  the  Powerless  Modoc  Indians  Who  Are 

Now  in  Chains 

First  Day  of  the  Trial. 

Capt.  Jack  and  his  companions  sit  with  their  heads  be- 
tween their  hands,  meditating  what  would  be  the  results 
of  the  White  Soldiers'  Law.  They  would  have  to  face  the 
Mighty  Soldier  Chief  on  that  day,  to  fight  for  their  lives, 
as  they  did  on  January  17th,  1873.  The  Indians  are :  Capt. 
Jack,  John  Schonchin,  Boston  Charley,  Black  Jim,  Boncho 
and  Slolux,  or  Modoc  name,  Elulksaltako.  They  were  in  a 
rude  built  jail  at  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon,  in  chains. 

Jack  says  to  Schonchin,  "We  do  not  stand  any  show;  we 
cannot  talk  with  these  chains  on  our  legs.  I  feel  like  I  am 
in  a  dream,  everything  is  out  of  my  reach.  I  have  nothing 
to  stand  on.    I  cannot  say  anything  that  will  help  any  of 

155 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


US.  I  have  lost  my  day  and  I  know  it.  I  see  nothing  but 
darkness  ahead  of  me.  How  do  you  feel?"  he  asks  his 
companion.  Schonchin  raises  his  head  and  says,  "I,  too, 
am  lost.  I  did  not  think  that  I  should  ever  have  my  tongue 
taken  away  from  me,  but  I  see  I  was  wrong.  We  were 
driven  to  do  what  we  did.  Our  own  men  made  us  do  what 
we  did."    Jack  says,  "Stop!    Do  not  speak  thus.    I  see  your 

game.  You  intend  to  tell 
the  soldier  chief  that  you 
did  not  want  to  fight. 
You  counseled  against 
me.  You  wanted  to  see 
the  Peace  Commissioner 
killed.  You,  Boston  Char- 
ley, Bogus  Charley, 
Black  Jim,  Shaknasty 
Jim,  and  others.  You  did. 
You  know  it.  You  now 
want  to  rob  me  of  my  de- 
fense. I  am  the  one  that 
wanted  peace.  I  did  not 
want  to  kill  Canby.  I 
was  forced  to  do  what  I 
did  by  my  own  men.  I 
shall  tell  my  story  with 
a  straight  tongue  on  my 
trial,  although  I  know  it 
will  not  do  me  any  good." 
Black  Jim  said,  ''Twa 
ah  nen  wholttka  kappkus 
tak  yaut  nuh  tuks  kai 
woser  Kelaks  Kai  ta  ta" 
or,  translated  in  English, 
"What  are  you  talking 
about?    Shut  up,  I  am  not  afraid  to  die.    No,  never!" 

His  speech  was  cut  short  by  the  rattle  of  cell  keys  hand- 
led by  the  soldier  jailer  who  takes  them  all  to  court.  Let 
us  now  take  a  peep  into  a  long  room  in  a  house  that  stands 


Old  Chief  Schonchin  or  Skonches,  was 
head  chief  of  the  Modocs  for  many 
years.  He  remained  loyal  to  the  Great 
Treaty  that  was  signed  at  Coiuncil  Grove, 
near  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon,  1864.  He 
was  a  brother  to  John  Schonchin  who 
was  hung  for  the  killing  of  the  Peace 
Commissioners.  He  was  the  author's 
father-in-law.  Bom  at  Tule  Lake,  Cal- 
ifornia; died  August  10,  1892,  aged  95, 
at  the  Klamath  Reservation,  Oregon. 


156 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  east  of  the  prisoners  where  they 
are  confined  in  jail. 

The  room  is  a  long  one.  In  the  center  of  the  room  stands 
a  long,  narrow  table.  At  the  south  end  of  this  table  sits 
Lieut.  Col.  Elliott,  First  Cavalry.  To  his  right,  Capt.  Has- 
brouck  of  the  Fourth  Artillery,  and  Capt.  Robert  Pollock 
of  the  Twenty-first  Infantry.  On  the  left,  Capt.  John  Men- 
denhall  of  the  Fourth  Artillery  and  Second  Lieut.  George 
Kingsbury  of 
the  Twelfth  In- 
fantry. These 
officers  are  all 
in  new  uniform 
and  make  a  fine 
impression  of 
power.  At  the 
other  end  of 
the  table  sits 
Maj.  H.  P.  Cur- 
tis, Judge  Ad- 
vocate; also  in 
uniform,  near 
him,  Dr.  E.  S. 
Belden,  short- 
hand reporter. 
To  the  right  of 
Col.  Elliott,  sit- 
ting on  a  bench, 
were  the  pris- 
oners, Captain 
Jack,  Schon- 
chin,    Black 


^ 

V. 

% 

0% 

a      1 

t>^^ 

1     1 

^: 

!;• 

U.  S,  soldiers  in  the  Lava  Beds.     Cave  on  the  left 
occupied  by  Weium,  or  William  Faithfull. 


Jim,  Boston  Charley.  These  men  were  at  the  council  tent, 
the  eleventh  of  April,  1873,  and  participated  in  the  murder 
of  Gen.  Canby  and  Rev.  E.  Thomas.  Lying  on  the  floor 
are  two  others.  They  are  two  of  the  men  that  jumped  from 
an  ambush  with  rifles  that  belonged  to  their  head  men  that 
had  opened  fire  on  the  commissioners.     They  uttered  the 


157 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

yell  that  sent  terror  to  the  hearts  of  the  Peace  Commission- 
ers, namely,  Boncho  and  Slolux.  Behind  Maj.  Curtis  two 
other  familiar  faces,  Frank  Riddle  and  his  wife,  Tobey.  At 
a  side  table  reporters  are  sitting.  At  either  end  of  the  room 
a  file  of  soldiers  stand  with  muskets  ornamented  with  pol- 
ished bayonets.  These  are  necessary,  for  the  prisoners 
might  try  to  injure  someone  if  the  bayonets  were  not  there. 
Hooker  Jim,  Shaknasty  Jim,  Bogus  Charley  and  Steam  Boat 
Frank   are   standing  near  the   door,   unfettered   and   un- 


Old  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon.    The  officers'  quarters  to  the  right  of  the 
clump  of  trees.    From  the  collection  of  Mrs.  Melhase. 


guarded.  They  do  not  need  guards.  They  are  heroes. 
They  are  the  fellows  that  run  their  own  chief,  Capt.  Jack, 
down.  They  are  the  same  fellows  that  wanted  to  kill  the 
Peace  Commissioners.  They  were  blood  thirsty.  They 
wanted  to  kill  soldiers.  These  are  the  very  same  men  that 
placed  a  shawl  on  Capt.  Jack's  shoulders  and  a  squaw's  hat 
on  his  head  and  taunted  him,  saying,  "You  are  a  woman. 
You  have  a  bird's  heart  in  you.  Coward!  Coward!  Cow- 
ard! We  disown  you  as  our  chief.  Kill  Canby.  If  you  do 
everything  will  be  all  right  with  you.  If  not,  look  out,  you 
coward."    It  was  then  that  Jack  jumped  to  his  feet,  shook 

158 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

the  shawl  from  his  shoulders,  threw  the  hat  from  his  head, 
and  said,  "I  will  do  it  although  it  will  cost  me  my  life,  and 
all  the  lives  of  all  of  my  people  to  do  the  cowardly  thing, 
but  I  will  do  it." 

Now  you  see  these  fellows  walking  all  through  the 
grounds  at  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon,  free  men.  They  were 
the  first  men  that  gave  up  their  arms  on  Fairchild's  Ranch, 
California,  and  were  employed  as  government  scouts  at 
$100  per  month.  There  is,  kind  reader,  human  devils  in  all 
nations.  These  men  done  more  to  close  up  the  Modoc  War 
than  the  army  of  a  thousand  men.  They  are  now  real  live 
heroes,  and  they  feel  it,  too.  If  anything  is  yet  wanting  to 
make  this  scene  complete,  it  is  fully  made  up  by  the  soldiers 
who  enjoy  a  safe  look  into  the  eyes  of  the  Modoc  chief, 
Capt.  Jack. 

Second  Day. 
(Copied  from  the  U.  S.  War  Records.) 

The  Commission  met  at  10  A.  M.  pursuant  to  adjourn- 
ment. Present,  all  of  the  members  of  the  Commission,  the 
Judge  Advocate  and  prisoners. 

The  proceedings  of  the  last  meeting  were  read  and  ap- 
proved. The  Judge  Advocate  then  read  before  the  Commis- 
sion, the  order  convening  the  Commission  which  is  inter- 
preted to  the  prisoners.  The  Commission  then  proceeded 
to  the  trial  of  the  prisoners,  Capt.  Jack,  Schonchin,  Black 
Jim,  Boston  Charley,  Boncho  (alias  One-Eyed  Jim),  and 
Slolux,  Modoc  Indian  captives,  who  being  called  before  the 
Commission  and  having  heard  the  order  convening  it,  read, 
it  being  interpreted  to  them,  were  severally  asked  if  they 
had  any  objections  to  any  member  present  named  in  order 
to  which  they  severally  replied  in  the  negative. 

The  members  of  the  Commission  were  then  duly  sworn 
by  the  Judge  Advocate,  and  the  Judge  Advocate  was  then 
duly  sworn  by  the  President  of  the  Commission,  all  of  which 
oaths  were  administered  and  interpreted  in  the  presence  of 
the  prisoners.  The  Judge  Advocate  asked  the  authority 
of  the  Commission  to  employ  T.  F.  Riddle  and  his  wife  as 
interpreter^  at  $10  a  day,  which  authority  was  given  by  the 

159 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Commission.  T,  F.  Riddle  and  his  wife  Tobey  were  then 
duly  sworn  to  the  faithful  performance  of  their  duty  in  the 
interpretation  of  the  evidence  and  proceedings  as  required 
in  presence  of  the  prisoners,  which  oath  was  interpreted  to 
the  prisoners.  The  Judge  Advocate  then  presented  to  the 
Commission  E.  S.  Belden,  the  official  shorthand  reporter, 
who  was  then  duly  sworn  to  faithful  performance  of  his 
duty,  which  oath  was  duly  interpreted  to  the  prisoners. 
The  prisoners  were  then  severally  asked  by  the  Judge  Ad- 
vocate if  they  desired  to  introduce  counsel,  to  which  they 


Old  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon.    Present  day.    A  fort  of  the  past. 

severally  replied  in  the  negative,  as  they  had  been  unable 
to  procure  any.  The  prisoners  were  then  severally  duly 
arraigned  on  the  following  charges  and  specifications : 

Charges  and  specifications  preferred  against  certain  Mo- 
doc Indians,  commonly  known  and  called  as,  Capt.  Jack, 
Chief;  John  Schonchin,  Sub-chief;  Boston  Charley,  Black 
Jim,  policemen;  Boncho  (alias  One-Eyed  Jim),  and  Elulk- 
saltako  or  Slolux. 


160 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Charge  first,  murder  in  violation  of  the  laws  of  war.  The 
specification  in  substance  was  the  murder  of  Gen.  E.  R.  S. 
Canby  and  Dr.  Eleazer  Thomas. 

Second  charge,  assault  with  intent  to  kill  in  violation  of 
the  laws  of  war  specification.  Second  assault  on  the  Com- 
missioners. Attempt  to  kill  A.  B.  Meacham,  L.  S.  Dyar, 
and  T.  F.  Riddle,  interpreter,  in  the  Lava  Beds,  the  so- 
called  place  situated  on  the  margin  of  Tule  Lake  in  North- 
ern California,  on  or  about  the  11th  day  of  April,  1873,  to 
which  the  prisoners  severally  pleaded  as  follows :  To  speci- 
fication first  charge,  not  guilty;  to  second  specification 
first  charge,  not  guilty;  to  first  charge,  not  guilty*  to  first 
specification,  second  charge,  not  guilty;  to  second  specifi- 
cation, second  charge,  not  guilty;  to  second  charge,  not 
guilty. 

T.  F.  Riddle,  a  citizen  and  witness  for  the  prosecution, 
being  duly  sworn  by  the  Judge  Advocate,  testified  as  fol- 
lows: 

Questioned  by  Judge  Advocate,  "Were  you  present  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Commissioners  and  General  Conby  referred 
to  in  the  charges  and  specifications  just  read?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "On  what  day  was  it?" 

A.  "On  the  11th  of  April,  I  believe,  as  near  as  I  can  re- 
member." 

Q.  "Were  the  prisoners  at  the  bar  present  on  that  oc- 
casion?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.     "Can  you  identify  them  all?" 

A.  "Yes  sir.  I  can  identify  them  all  but  Boncho  and 
Slolux.  I  saw  them  but  did  not  know  them.  They  were  70 
or  80  yards  behind  me.  They  came  rushing  up,  each  with 
four  or  five  rifles,  as  near  as  I  could  see." 

Q.  "Is  Capt.  Jack  the  principal  man  in  this  Modoc 
tribe?" 

A.     "Yes  sir." 

Q.     "What  is  he,  and  what  position  has  he?" 

161 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

A.  "He  is  a  chief  among  them.  He  has  been  chief  since 
1861,  I  think." 

Q.  "What  position  did  Schonchin  hold  among  the  Mo- 
docs?" 

A.  "I  never  knew  him  to  be  anything  more  than  just  a 
common  man  among  them,  until  within  the  last  year  or  so. 
He  has  been  classed  as  Capt.  Jack's  sub-chief.  I  believe  they 
call  him  Sergeant." 

Q.     "And  Black  Jim?" 

A.     "He  was  a  watchman  or  policeman." 

Q.     "And  Boston  Oiarley?" 

A.     "He  is  nothing  more  than  a  high  private." 

Q.     "And  Boncho?" 

A.     "Just  a  common  man." 

Q.     "AndSlolux?" 

A.     "Nothing  of  any  importance." 

Q.     "Are  these  men  all  Modocs?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir,  they  are  all  Modocs,  except  Boncho,  who  is 
a  Rock  Indian.  He  is  called  a  Combatwas." 

Q.  "Were  they  all  present  at  this  meeting  of  the  11th 
of  April?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir,'  all  but  Boncho  and  Slolux.  They  did  not 
take  part  in  the  council.  I  saw  them  rushing  up  after  the 
firing  commenced." 

Q.  "What  connection  did  you  have  with  the  Peace  Com- 
missioner from  the  beginning?" 

A.  "I  was  employed  by  General  Gillem  to  interpret,  and 
after  that  I  was  ordered  to  act  as  interpreter  for  the  Peace 
Commissioners  during  the  Peace  Council  with  the  Modocs." 

Q.  "Did  you  ever  receive  any  information  which  led 
you  to  suppose  or  believe  it  was  dangerous  for  the  Com- 
missioner to  interview  these  men?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir.  The  first  hint  I  had  of  any  danger  was 
while  we  were  stopping  at  Mr.  Fairchild's  ranch.  The  In- 
dians had  agreed  to  meet  the  wagons  between  Little  Klam- 
ath Lake  and  the  Lava  Beds.  Said  they  would  come  at  that 
place  and  send  all  of  their  women  and  children  into  Fair- 
child's." 

162 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Q.  "Were  you  present  at  the  killing  of  General  Canby 
.and  Rev.  Thomas?" 

A.     "Yes  sir." 

Q.  "Had  you  received  any  information  which  led  you  to 
think  that  it  was  dangerous?" 

A.     "Yes,  I  had.  My  wife  told  me  of  the  danger." 

Q.  "How  did  yoiir  wife  know  it  was  dangerous  to  meet 
these  people  in  council  any  more?" 

A.  "Just  a  few  days  before  Canby  was  killed,  my  wife 
was  sent  to  Capt.  Jack's  stronghold  with  a  message.  After 
she  delivered  the  message  she  started  back  to  Gillem's 
Camp,  and  when  about  a  mile  out  from  the  stronghold,  one 
Indian  known  as  William  or  Whieum,  stopped  her  and  told 
her  that  the  Peace  Commissioners  must  not  meet  the  In- 
dians in  council  any  more.  If  they  did  they  would  all  be 
killed." 

Q.     "How  did  you  know  this?" 

A.     "My  wife  told  me." 

Q.  "In  consequence  of  this  information  which  you  re- 
ceived, what  did  you  then  do?  Did  you  speak  to  anyone 
about  it?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir.  My  wife  and  I  went  to  Mr.  Meacham's 
tent  and  told  him,  Mr.  Dyar  and  Thomas,  that  we  had  got 
information  that  the  Modocs  intended  to  kill  all  the  Com- 
missioners and  all  others  that  went  with  them  the  next 
time  they  met.  I  advised  them  not  to  go.  I  told  them  what 
Hooker  Jim  told  me  while  we  were  at  Fairchild's  ranch. 
He  took  me  out  to  one  side  and  told  me  if  you  come  with 
them  Peace  Commissioners  to  meet  us  any  more,  when  I 
walk  up  to  you  and  push  you  to  one  side,  you  stand  there. 
We  won't  hurt  you,  but  we  will  kill  all  the  others.  Yes, 
murder  them." 

Q.  "Do  I  understand  you  to  say  you  then  cautioned  the 
Commissioners?" 

A.     "Yes,  I  told  them  of  it." 

Q.     "What  did  you  say?" 

A.  "I  told  them  what  Hooker  Jim  told  me.  I  said  I  did 
not  think  it  was  of  any  use  to  try  to  make  peace  with  those 

163 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Indians  without  going  to  the  Lava  Beds  right  where  they 
were.  I  further  said  the  best  way  to  make  peace  with  the 
Modocs  was  to  give  them  a  sound  thrashing  and  then  make 
peace  with  them." 

Q.  "Did  you  tell  the  Commissioners  what  Hooker  Jim 
said?" 

A.  **Yes,  sir,  and  the  very  first  time  we  met  in  council 
after  General  Gillem  had  moved  his  army  in  or  over  to  the 
Lava  Beds,  Hooker  Jim  came  up  to  me,  took  hold  of  me  and 
said,  'You  come  out  here  and  sit  down.'  He  pushed  me  as  he 
said  he  would.  I  said  'No.'  " 

Q.     "When  was  this?" 

A.  "I  do  not  remember  the  date.  It  was  sometime  in 
April,  I  think." 

Q.     "The  first  or  second  council?" 

A.  "The  first  council  after  Hooker  Jim  told  me  this  at 
Fairchild's  ranch." 

Q.     "Were  they  the  same  or  other  Commissioners?" 

A.  "If  my  memory  serves  me  right,  the  Commissioners 
were  General  Canby,  Dr.  Thomas,  Mr.  L.  S.  Dyar  and  Mr. 
Judge  Roseborough  of  Yreka,  California.  I  won't  be  pos- 
itive, though.  Any  way.  Hooker  Jim  walked  up  to  me,  caught 
hold  of  my  arm.  He  then  pushed  me  to  one  side  and  said, 
'You  stand  out  there.'  I  said,  'No,  I  will  not,'  for  I  had  to 
interpret  for  the  people  in  council.  My  wife  spoke  to  Hooker 
Jim.  She  then  told  him  to  behave.  That  he  must  not  try  to 
do  anything  that  was  wrong  while  he  was  there.  Then 
Hooker  looked  at  me  and  said,  "Well,  go  sit  down,  then!" 
'  Q.  "Did  you  visit  the  Lava  Beds  before  the  massacre, 
and  if  so,  did  you  go  alone  or  with  some  one  else?" 

A.  "The  first  time  I  went  to  the  Lava  Beds  I  was  with 
Squire  Steele  of  Yreka,  California,  and  John  Fairchilds, 
also  of  California." 

Q.    (Interrupting) .    "Very  shortly  before  the  massacre?" 

A.  "Some  time  before.  Well,  I  was  in  Capt.  Jack's 
stronghold  several  times  before  the  massacre." 

Q.     "State  why  you  went  in  there?" 

A.     "To  carry  messages  and  read  and  interpret  them  to 

164 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

the  Indians.  My  wife  and  I  took  a  written  message  to  Capt. 
Jack  one  day  in  April.  I  read  it  to  him,  interpreted  it  to 
him,  gave  him  the  message  and  told  him  to  have  it  with 
him  when  he  and  his  men  met  the  Commissioners.  He  threw 
it  on  the  ground  and  said,  'Am  I  a  white  man  that  you  give 
me  this  piece  of  paper?  I  cannot  read.  I  do  not  want  it.  I 
can  and  will  meet  you  without  this  paper!'  He  said,  1  will 
meet  the  Commissioners  this  side  of  the  peace  tent  and  no 
where  else,'  pointing  to  a  certain  landmark  about  one  mile 
from  the  peace  tent." 

Q.  "A  mile  nearer  to  his  stronghold  than  the  peace 
tent?" 

A.  "Yes.  Jack  said  then,  that  was  all  he  had  to  say.  I 
could  hear  the  others  talking,  and  sort  of  making  light  of 
the  Peace  Commissioners,  as  much  as  to  say  outright, 
they  did  not  care  for  the  Peace  Commissioners." 

Q.  "What  was  the  tenor  of  this  message  you  say  you 
read?" 

A.  "It  was  a  message  from  the  Commissioners  stating 
that  they  wished  to  hold  a  council  the  next  day  with  them 
at  the  peace  tent,  to  have  a  permanent  settlement  of  the 
difficulties  between  the  whites  and  Indians.  They  wanted 
to  make  peace  and  move  them  to  some  warm  climate,  where 
they  could  live  like  white  people." 

Q.     "Where  is  that  note  you  carried?" 

A.     "It  is  lost." 

Q.  "Did  Capt.  Jack  say  anything  about  arms  in  refer- 
ence to  the  meeting?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir.  He  said  he  would  meet  them  five  men 
without  arms,  and  he  would  do  the  same.  He  would  not 
take  any  arms  with  him." 

Q.  "That  he  would  meet  them  at  the  place  he  fixed, 
one  mile  nearer  the  Lava  Beds?" 

A.     "Yes,  sir, ^ one  mile  nearer  the  stronghold." 

Q.  "Five  men  without  arms  and  he  would  also  go  with- 
out arms?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

THE  COURT:  "Five  including  himself  ?" 

165 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

A.  ''Yes,  sir." 

THE  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:  "What  did  he  say  about  the 
proposition  to  move  him  from  the  Lava  Beds?" 

A.  "He  said  he  knew  no  other  country  only  this,  and  he 
did  not  want  to  leave  it." 

Q.  "Did  he  say  anything  about  a  desire  for  peace?" 

A.  "Yes.  He  said  if  the  soldiers  were  all  moved  away 
where  they  were,  he  would  or  could  make  peace  and  live 
right  where  he  was  now,  and  that  he  would  pester  no  one, 
but  would  live  there  peacably." 

Q.  "Was  Capt.  Jack  alone  in  this  interview  when  you 
talked  with  him?" 

A.  "No,  sir.  The  other  men  were  sitting  down  around 
Jack." 

Q.  "These  prisoners  here  now?" 

A.  "Some  of  them." 

Q.  "Did  he  do  all  the  talking  or  just  a  part?" 

A.  "That  evening  he  did  all  the  talking,  that  is,  he  was 
the  only  one  that  had  anything  to  say  to  me  in  regard  to 
the  message." 

Q.  "Did  you  see  anything  there  which  led  you  to  suppose 
that  they  intended  hostilities?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir,  I  did.  I  saw  that  they  had  built  up  breast- 
works all  around  their  caves  in  which  they  lived." 

Q.  "Did  they  seem  to  be  well  provisioned?" 

A.  "They  had  just  been  killing  several  cattle  in  or  near 
their  camp." 

Q.  "Which  of  these  men  were  there  that  time?" 

A.  "Boston  was  there.  Most  all  of  these  that  are  here 
now." 

Q.  "Can't  you  name  them  ?" 

A.  "Boston,  Black  Jim  was  there,  and  Boncho.  I  do  not 
remember  whether  Schonchin  was  there  or  not,  at  the  time 
the  conversation  was  going  on." 

Q.  "Did  you  go  back  to  the  Commissioners  then?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "State  the  facts  about  it.  State  what  followed  after 
your  return  to  the  Commissioners." 

166 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

A.  ** After  I  got  back  to  Gillem's  headquarters,  I  went  to 
the  Peace  Commissioners'  tent  with  Capt.  Jack's  reply, 
stating  that  he  would  meet  five  unarmed  men  and  he  would 
do  the  same,  five,  including  himself,  unarmed.  I  also  told 
Mr.  Meacham  that  the  Indians  had  been  building  breast- 
works and  was  well  fortified  all  around  their  camp,  and  that 
they  had  been  killing  cattle  just  before  I  arrived  in  their 
camp.  I  also  said  I  thought  it  was  useless  to  try  to  make 
peace  any  longer  with  them  if  Capt.  Jack  would  not  agree 
to  meet  at  the  peace  tent.  If  I  were  in  your  places.  Commis- 
sioners, I  would  not  meet  the  Indians  any  more  under  the 
same  conditions." 

Q.  ''What  was  the  Commisioners'  reply  or  what  did  they 
decide  upon?    What  decision  did  they  come  to?" 

A.  "They  held  a  council  among  themselves.  I  was  not 
at  their  council." 

Q.  "Was  your  visit  the  day  before  the  assassination?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir.  I  went  and  saw  General  Canby  that  same 
evening.  I  told  him  that  I  had  a  proposition  to  make  to 
him.  He  wanted  to  know  what  it  was.  I  said,  'General,  if 
you  intend  to  meet  the  Indians  in  council  tomorrow  about 
daylight  in  the  morning,  send  about  twenty-five  or  thirty 
men  somewhere  near  where  you  intend  to  hold  the  council 
and  secrete  them  in  the  rocks,  so  they  could  be  ready  to 
catch  the  Indians  if  they  started  to  do  wrong.'  I  said, 
'General,  if  you  do  that,  it  may  be  the  means  of  saving  your 
life  and  also  the  others.'  Canby  said,  'Why  that  would  be 
too  much  of  an  insult  to  Capt.  Jack  if  he  found  that  out. 
Jack  and  his  men  might  do  an  injury  to  some  one.  I  will 
not  do  it.'  " 

Q.  "Did  you  hear  him  say  that  ?" 

A.  "Yes." 

Q.  "Did  he  determine  to  meet  them  or  not?" 

A.  "The  Commissioners  sent  for  me  the  next  morning  to 
come  to  their  tent." 

Q.  "Was  Capt.  Jack  informed  that  they  would  not  go  to 
that  place  one  mile  nearer?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir.    Bogus  Charley  went  in  that  evening  before 

167 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

the  murder,  right  ahead  of  me  to  General  Gillem  and  stayed 
all  night.  He  stopped  at  my  camp,  and  the  next  morning 
the  Peace  Commissioners  decided  that  they  would  not  meet 
Capt.  Jack  at  the  place  where  he  wanted  to  meet  them.  So 
the  Commisioners  sent  word  or  message  out  to  Capt.  Jack 
by  Bogus  and  Boston  Charley,  requesting  Jack  and  his 
party  to  meet  them  at  the  Peace  Commissioners'  tent  in 
about  an  hour.  Word  was  brought  back  by  Bogus  and  Bos- 
ton, that  Capt.  Jack  was  at  the  peace  tent  waiting  with  five 
men." 

Q.    (Interrupting).  *' You  heard  it?" 

A.  "Yes." 

Q.  ''Jack  was  to  meet  them,  where?    He  was  where?" 

A.  ''He  was  at  the  peace  tent." 

Q.  "Capt.  Jack  sent  a  message  back  by  Bogus  and  Boston 
that  he  would  meet  the  Commissioners  at  the  peace  tent 
with  five  men?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir.  Jack  sent  word  that  he  and  his  men  were 
not  armed,  and  requested  that  the  Peace  Commissioners 
go  without  arms." 

Q.  "Jack  sent  that  message,  and  you  heard  it?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "What  advice,  if  any,  did  you  then  give  the  Commis- 
sioners?" 

A.  "My  wife  and  I  went  to  Commissioner  Meacham's 
tent.  We  both  told  him  not  to  meet  Jack  in  council  that 
day,  as  we  knew  there  would  be  trouble." 

Q.  "Were  you  at  the  Peace  Commissioners'  tent  when 
you  gave  this  advice?" 

A.  "The  Peace  Commissioners'  tent  in  Gillem's  camp." 

Q.  "Not  the  large  tent?" 

A.  "No,  the  Peace  Commisioners'  tent.  Meacham  want- 
ed to  know  why  I  told  him  that  the  Indians  intended  to 
murder  them,  that  they  might  do  it  that  day  if  everything 
v/as  not  right.  My  wife  caught  Meacham's  arm  and  told 
him  not  to  go.  She  held  on  to  him  and  cried.  She  said, 
'Meacham,  don't  you  go  for  you  might  be  killed  today. 
They  may  kill  all  of  you  today.'    I  heard  her  pleading  with 

168 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

him  about  that  time.  Dr.  Thomas  came  up  to  me  and  said 
that  I  ought  to  put  my  trust  in  God — that  God  Almighty 
wouldn't  let  any  such  body  of  men  be  hurt  that  was  on  as 
good  a  mission  as  they  were.  I  told  him  at  the  time  that  he 
might  trust  in  God,  but  that  I  did  not  trust  any  in  them 
Indians." 

Q.  ''Did  any  of  the  other  Commissioners  make  any 
reply?" 

A.  "Mr.  Meacham  said  that  he  knew  there  was  danger 
and  that  he  believed  every  word  my  wife  and  I  said.  Dr. 
Dyar  said  he  believed  all  we  told  him.  He  also  said  he  felt 
that  he  was  doomed,  so  I  went  over  to  General  Canby  and 
asked  him  if  General  Gillem  was  going  to  the  council.  He 
said  no,  that  he  was  not  going  to  attend  the  council.  I  then 
told  Canby  that  I  wanted  him  and  the  other  Commissioners 
to  go  with  me  to  General  Gillem's  tent." 

Q.  "Did  they  go?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "Was  Tobey  with  you?" 

A.  "No,  sir,  she  was  not  with  me.  She  was  standing, 
holding  her  horse  near  Meacham's  tent." 

Q.  "State  what  occurred  at  Gillem's  tent." 

A.  "We  walked  over  to  Gillem's  tent.  Mr.  Meacham,  Mr. 
Dyar,  Rev.  Thomas  and  I  went  into  Gillem's.  General  Can- 
by  did  not  enter.  I  told  General  Gillem  that  the  Commis- 
sioners were  going  out  to  meet  Capt.  Jack  in  council  today 
against  my  wishes,  that  I  knew  it  was  dangerous.  I  said, 
'Nov/,  General  Gillem,  if  anything  happens  to  them  men 
today  I  want  no  blame  laid  on  me  and  my  wife,  as  we  have 
tried  our  best  to  prevent  this  council.'  I  told  him  that 
there  was  danger,  and  knew  it,  but  I  would  go  with  them 
rather  than  be  called  a  coward." 

Q.  "State  what  followed  then." 

A.  "Well,  before  I  got  through  talking.  General  Gillem. 
gave  a  big  laugh  and  said,  'If  the  Indians  did  anything  bad, 
he  said,  'I  will  take  care  of  them.'  We  then  left  Gillem's 
tent.  General  Canby  and  Thomas  in  the  lead,  headed  for 
the  peace  tent.    Mr.  Meacham  walked  up  to  Tobey,  my  wife, 

169 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

and  asked  her  again  if  she  thought  the  Indians  would  kill 
him.  She  said,  *I  have  told  you  all  I  can  tell  you.  They 
may  kill  you  today  and  they  may  not,  but  I  tell  you  there 
is  danger.'  " 

Q.  ''You  heard  this?" 

A.  ''Yes.  She  says  again,  'Don't  go  today.'  By  that  time 
General  Canby  and  Dr.  Thomas  were  about  one  hundred 
yards  ahead  of  us  on  the  trail.  General  Canby,  Thomas, 
Bogus  Charley  and  I  walked  out.  Mr.  Dyar,  Meacham  and 
Tobey  rode  out  horse  back." 

THE  COURT :     "Did  Bogus  Charley  walk  out  with  you  ?" 

A.  "Yes,  he  and  I  were  behind." 

THE  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:  "Where  was  Boston  Char- 
ley at  this  time?" 

A.  "If  I  am  not  mistaken,  he  was  with  General  Canby 
and  Thomas." 

Q.  "Did  you  finally  arrive  at  the  peace  tent?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "And  whom  did  you  find  there  ?" 

A.  "Capt.  Jack,  Schonchin,  Black  Jim,  Ellen's  Man,  who 
is  now  deceased,  Shaknasty  Jim  and  Hooker  Jim." 

Q.  "Were  there  any  others?" 

A.  "None  that  I  knew  of  at  that  time,  except  Bogus 
Charley  and  Boston  Charley,  who  went  out  with  us.  There 
were  eight  of  them." 

Q.  "Eight  were  there  in  the  party?" 

A.  "In  the  council,  yes,  sir." 

Q.  "What  took  place  after  you  met  these  Modocs  whom 
you  have  named;  between  the  Commissioners  and  them?" 

A.  "Well,  we  all  sat  down  around  a  little  sage-brush  fire, 
I  should  judge  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet  from  the 
peace  tent.  Some  one  threw  some  more  brush  on  the  fire, 
then  General  Canby  gave  each  Indian  a  cigar.  Each  Indian 
bit  his  cigar  and  began  to  smoke.  They  sat  there  silent  for 
a  few  minutes.  General  Canby  then  began  to  talk  to  the 
Indians.  He  told  them  that  he  had  been  dealing  with  dif- 
ferent tribes  of  Indians  for  thirty  years ;  that  he  had  come 
there  to  make  peace  with  them  and  to  talk  good,  and  what- 

170 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

ever  he  promised  to  give  them,  he  would  see  that  they  got 
it,  and  if  they  would  come  and  go  with  him,  he  would  take 
them  to  a  good  country  and  fix  things  for  them  so  they 
would  live  like  white  people." 

Q.  "Did  you  interpret  all  of  this  to  the  Indians?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "So  that  they  understood  it?" 

A.  "Yes.    My  wife  and  I  did  together." 

Q.  "Was  that  the  summary  of  General  Canby's  speech?" 

A.  "That  was  about  the  substance  of  his  talk  with  the 
exception  of  telling  them  that  the  Indians  had  given  him 
two  names ;  that  he  had  taken  Indians  on  a  reservation  once 
before.  He  said  the  Indians  all  liked  him  and  had  given 
the  names." 

Q.  "General  Canby  said  that?" 

A.  "Yes.  They  sat  and  laughed  about  it.  I  disremem- 
ber  the  name  now." 

Q.  "Do  you  know  who  spoke  next?" 

A.  "Mr.  Meacham.  He  told  them  he  had  come  there  to 
make  peace  with  them.  That  the  White  Father  at  Wash- 
ington had  sent  him  there  to  make  peace  with  them;  to 
wipe  out  all  the  blood  that  had  been  spilt  or  shed,  so  they 
would  have  no  more  trouble ;  also  to  move  them  away  from 
the  country  where  they  now  lived;  to  take  them  to  some 
good  country  where  they  could  have  good,  nice  homes, 
where  they  would  all  be  provided  with  blankets,  food,  and 
other  things  which  they  needed." 

Q.  "That  was  Mr.  Meacham's  speech?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir.  Dr.  Thomas  then  said  a  few  words.  He 
said  the  Great  Father  had  sent  them  there  to  make  peace 
with  them  and  to  wipe  out  the  blood  that  had  been  shed  and 
not  to  have  any  more  trouble  hereafter;  to  move  them  out 
of  their  own  country  so  they  would  not  have  any  more 
trouble." 

Q.  "Mr.  Riddle,  do  you  know  whether  the  Lava  Beds  are 
in  the  State  of  California?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir,  they  are.    I  could  not  or  cannot  be  certain 

171 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

what  the  extent  of  them  is ;  it  may  be  possible  a  small  por- 
tion of  them  is  in  Oregon." 

Q.  *'How  near  the  Lava  Beds  was  General  Gillem's 
camp?" 

A.  * 'About  two  miles  and  a  half  from  Capt.  Jack's  strong- 
hold." 

Q.  ''How  near  the  Lava  Beds  was  the  peace  tent?" 

A.  "It  was  near  the  west  edge  of  the  Lava  Beds." 

Q.  "What  distance  from  General  Gillem's  quarters  or 
camp?" 

A.  "I  should  judge  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile." 

Q.  "Did  any  Modocs  reply  to  those  speeches?" 

A.  "Capt.  Jack  did." 

Q.  "What  did  he  say?    Can  you  remember?" 

A.  "Yes,  I  remember  the  biggest  part  of  his  reply.  He 
said  he  did  not  want  to  leave  his  country  where  he  was  now 
living;  that  he  knew  no  other  country  than  that;  that  he 
had  given  up  Lost  River.  He  would  like  to  have  Cotton- 
wood Creek  and  Willow  Creek  if  he  could  get  it.  These 
creeks  are  near  Fairchild's  ranch,  California." 

Q.  "Is  Cottonwood  Creek  the  same  as  Hot  Creek?" 

A.  "They  are  two  different  creeks." 

Q.  "What  did  he  mean  by  giving  up  Lost  River?" 

A.  "He  said  there  was  where  the  first  fight  had. taken 
place.  That  he  did  not  want  to  have  anything  more  to  do 
with  Lost  River.  He  said  the  Lost  River  country  was  the 
cause  of  his  first  fight  with  the  soldiers.  He  said  the  white 
people  wanted  that  country." 

Q.  "What  fight  do  you  refer  to?" 

A.  "The  first  fight  when  Major  Jackson  went  down  to 
bring  them  up  on  the  reservation.  It  was  in  November, 
1872." 

Q.  "Did  Capt.  Jack  demand  Willow  Creek  and  Cotton- 
wood Creek?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "That  is  the  land  around  this  place?" 

A.  "Yes." 

Q.  "To  live  on?" 

172 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

A.  "Yes,  sir.  He  wanted  a  reservation  there." 
Q.  "Then  what  was  said  or  what  occurred?" 
A.  "Meacham  then  spoke.  He  told  Capt.  Jack,  saying, 
'Jack,  let  us  talk  like  men.'  He  tapped  Jack  on  the  shoul- 
der twice  and  repeated,  'Let's  talk  like  men,  not  like  chil- 
dren. You  are  a  man  that  has  common  sense.  Isn't  there 
any  other  place  that  will  do  except  Willow  Creek  and  Cot- 
tonwood Creek?'  Mr.  Meacham  was  speaking  rather  loud. 
Schonchin  told  him  in  the  Indian  language  to  hush.  He 
said,  'I  can  talk  straight.  Let  me  talk  next.'  Just  as 
Schonchin  said  that,  Capt.  Jack  got  up  and  stepped  behind 
Mr.  Dyar's  horse.  I  was  interpreting  what  Schonchin  said. 
I  did  not  notice  Jack  much  as  I  had  ought  to.  The  next 
time  I  noticed  him,  he  had  stepped  further  to  one  side.  I 
then  saw  his  hand  reach  in  his  bosom." 

Q.  (Interrupting.)  "Did  you  perceive  as  soon  as  you  got 
there  that  these  men  were  armed?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir,  I  did.    I  could  see  tnat  some  of  them  were." 

Q.  "In  what  way  did  you  observe  that?" 

A.  "I  saw  weapons  sticking  out  of  their  clothes." 

Q.  "You  saw  what?" 

A.  "Revolvers." 

Q.  "Did  Capt.  Jack  at  this  interview  represent  this 
band?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "And  the  other  men  listened  and  appeared  to  concur?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "Were  they  there  as  representatives  of  the  band?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir,  I  suppose  they  were." 

Q.  "You  say  Capt.  Jack  got  up  and  went  to  the  rear  and 
you  saw  him  put  his  hand  to  his  Dreast?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "What  then  occurred?" 

A.  "Well,  he  walked  right  up  in  front  of  General  Canby. 
He  stopped  and  said  in  Indian,  'Ail  ready,'  at  the  same  time 
drawing  his  revolver.  He  pointed  his  revolver  down  at 
General  Canby's  face.  His  revolver  hung  fire,  but  he  set 
the  hammer  again;   that  time  he  fired  his  shot  and  hit 

173 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Canby  under  the  eye  and  the  bullet  came  out  here  (show- 
ing) .  I  jumped  and  ran  for  my  life.  I  turned,  saw  General 
Canby  fall  over.  I  knew  he  was  shot.  I  kept  on  running 
as  fast  as  I  could  go.  I  looked  back  again.  Mr.  Meacham 
was  down  and  my  wife  was  down.  I  saw  one  Indian  stand- 
ing over  Mr.  Meacham  and  another  one  standing  over  my 
wife.  I  saw  two  or  three  others  coming  up  to  Meacham. 
Mr.  Meacham  was  down  in  this  position,"  (showing)  ;  "he 
had  one  arm  out." 

Q.  "You  saw  General  Canby  fall,  you  say?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir." 

Q.  "Did  he  continue  to  lie  where  he  fell?" 

A.  "He  was  not  at  the  same  spot  when  he  was  found.  He 
was  thirty  or  forty  yards  from  where  I  saw  him  fall.  I  did 
not  see  him  get  up." 

Q.  "As  soon  as  Capt.  Jack  fired  what  then  occurred?" 

A.  "The  Indians  commenced  firing  together.  I  could  not 
tell  who  was  firing.  I  saw  Schonchin  shooting  at  Mr. 
Meacham,  the  others  were  behind  me.  When  I  started  to  run 
I  did  not  stop  to  see  what  others  were  shooting.  I  thought 
it  was  pretty  warm  times  around  there." 

Q.     "Did  any  other  Indian  come  up?" 

A.  "Just  as  the  firing  commenced,  I  saw  two  Indians 
rushing  up  with  guns  in  their  arms." 

Q.     "What  do  you  mean  by,  'With  guns  in  their  arms?'  " 

A.     "They  had  rifles  in  their  arms." 

Q.     "How  many  had  each  man?" 

A.  "I  could  not  tell.  It  looked  like  they  had  two  or  three 
apiece." 

Q.     "Can  you  identify  those  men?" 

A.  "No,  sir,  I  cannot.  I  did  not  stop  to  see  who  they 
were.  I  only  saw  that  they  were  Indians." 

Tobey  Riddle's  wife  and  Indians  called  for  the  prosecu- 
tion^ being  duly  sworn  testified  as  follows : 

THE  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:  "What  is  your  name?  Is 
your  name  Tobey?" 

A.     "Yes." 

174 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Q.  "Did  you  think  that  the  Indians  were  going  to  kill 
the  Peace  Commissioners  that  day?" 

A.     "Yes." 

Q.     "What  made  you  think  so?" 

A.  "There  was  one  Indian  who  told  me  they  were  going 
to  be  killed." 

Q.     "Who  told  you?" 

A.     "Whieum  or  William." 

Q.  "How  long  before  the  meeting  did  Whieum  tell  you 
this?" 

A.     "About  eight  or  nine  days." 

Q.     "What  did  Whieum  say  to  you?" 

A.  "He  said  for  me  not  to  come  back  any  more  and  to 
tell  the  Peace  Commissioners  not  to  meet  the  Indians  any 
more  in  council ;  that  they  were  going  to  kill  them." 

Q.     "Did  you  tell  General  Canby  not  to  go?" 

A.     "Yes.  I  also  told  Meacham  and  Thomas." 

Q.     "Did  Mr.  Meacham  believe  you?" 

A.     "Yes,  sir." 

Q.     "Did  he  say  he  believed  you?" 

A.     "Yes." 

Q.  "What  was  done  with  bodies  of  Thomas  and  Gen- 
eral Canby?" 

A.     "The  Indians  stripped  their  clothes  off  them." 

Q.     "Did  you  see  them  do  that?" 

A.  "I  saw  them  strip  Dr.  Thomas.  I  saw  Steamboat 
Frank  taking  Dr.  Thomas'  coat.  He  was  one  of  the  last 
three  that  came  up." 

The  above  questions  and  answers  were  duly  interpreted 
to  the  prisoners  by  the  sworn  interpreter,  Riddle.  The 
Judge  Advocate  then  asked  the  prisoners  severally  if  they 
desired  to  cross-examine  the  witness,  to  which  they  replied 
in  the  negative.  The  Commission  had  no  questions  to  put 
to  the  witness. 

L.  S.  Dyar,  a  citizen  called  for  the  prosecution,  being  duly 
sworn,  testified  as  follows: 

THE  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:     "State  your  name." 

A.     "L.  S.  Dyar." 

175 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


Q 


"What  is  your  business?" 


A.     "I  am  a  United  States  Indian  Agent." 

Q.     ''Of  the  Klamath  Agency  ?" 

A.     ''Yes,  sir." 

Q.     "Does  that  include  the  Modocs  ?" 

A.     "Yes,  sir." 

Q.     "Do  you  recognize  the  prisoners  at  the  bar?" 

A.     "I  do." 

Q.     "Do  you  recognize  them  all?" 

A.     "No,  sir." 

Q.     "Who  is  that  one  with  a  handkerchief  on  his  head?" 

A.     "Capt.  Jack." 

Q.     "Who  is  the  next  one  this  way?" 

A.     "John  Schonchin" 

Q.     "And  this  one?" 

A.     "Boston,  sometimes  called  Boston  Charley." 

Q.  BY  THE  COMMISSION:  "I  understand  you  to  say 
Superintendent  Meacham  got  those  Modocs  back  into  the 
reservation  once  or  twice  before?" 

A.     "Once  before." 

Q.     "With  or  without  assistance  of  the  military?" 

A.  "He  had  a  few  soldiers.  I  only  know  this  from  the 
records  in  the  office." 

The  foregoing  questions  and  answers  were  all  duly  in- 
terpreted to  the  prisoners.  The  Commission  then  adjourned 
for  the  day  to  meet  on  the  next  day. 

Next  Day,  July  7. 

Shaknasty  Jim,  a  Modoc  Indian,  a  witness  for  the  pros- 
ecution, having  been  first  cautioned  by  the  Judge  Advocate 
of  the  punishment  of  false  swearing,  was  then  duly  sworn. 

Q.     BY  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:     "What  is  your  name?" 


"Shaknasty  Jim." 

"Do  you  remember  when  General  Canby  was  killed?" 

"Yes,  I  know." 

"What  part  did  you  take  in  the  affair?" 

"I  was  running  and  shooting  at  my  friend.  Riddle." 

"Did  you  try  to  hit  him  when  you  were  shooting 


at  him?" 

176 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

A.     "I  did  my  best." 

Q.     ''You  were  present  when  Canby  was  killed  then?" 

A.     "Yes." 

Q.  "Did  you  know  that  Canby  and  the  other  Commis- 
sioners were  to  be  killed?" 

A.     "Yes." 

Q.     "How  did  you  know  it?" 

A.     "The  Indians  had  a  talk  about  it  one  night." 

Q.     "When  was  this  talk;  how  long  before?" 

A.     "The  night  before." 

Q.     "Who  talked?" 

A.     "Most  of  the  Indians.  The  two  chiefs  were  talking." 

Q.     "What  two  chiefs?" 

A.     "Capt.  Jack  and  Schonchin." 

Q.     "Did  you  hear  them  state  they  meant  to  kill  them?" 

A.  "I  didn't  hear  them  say  that  they  were  going  to 
kill  them." 

Q.     "What  did  you  hear  them  say?" 

A.  "I  heard  them  talking  about  killing  the  Commission- 
ers. That's  all  I  heard  them  say.  I  didn't  hear  them  say 
who  was  going  to  do  it." 

Q.  "How  long  before  the  meeting  of  the  Peace  Commis- 
sioners when  General  Canby  was  killed  was  this  talk?" 

A.  "I  have  forgotten.  I  do  not  want  to  lie.  I  have  for- 
gotten how  many  days  it  was." 

Q.  "What  Indians  were  at  that  meeting  of  April  11th, 
when  General  Canby  was  shot?" 

A.  "Schonchin,  Capt.  Jack,  Ellens  Man,  now  dead;  I 
was  there,  Black  Jim,  Boston  Charley,  Bogus  Charley  and 
Hooker  Jim.  There  were  eight." 

Steamboat  Frank,  a  Modoc  witness  for  the  prosecution, 
was  next  sworn,  duly  warned  against  the  consequences  of 
perjury. 

Q.     BY  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:     "What  is  your  name?" 

A.     "I  am  called  Steamboat  Frank." 

Q.     "Were  you  present  at  the  death  of  General  Canby?" 

A.     "Yes." 

Q.     "How  did  you  get  there  ?" 

177 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

A.  "I  was  about  as  far  as  from  here  to  the  stable,  about 
four  hundred  yards  when  the  firing  commenced." 

Q.     "Whom,  if  anyone,  were  you  with  there?" 

A.     "With  Scarface  Charley." 

The  Judge  Advocate  now  called  Bogus  Charley  as  witness 
for  the  prosecution.  He  was  cautioned  against  perjury.  He 
testified  as  follows: 

Q.  BY  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:  "What  is  your  name  as 
commonly  called?" 

A.     "Bogus  Charley." 

Q.     "Were  you  present  at  the  death  of  General  Canby?" 

A.     "Yes." 

Hooker  Jim,  a  Modoc  Indian,  a  witness  for  the  prosecu- 
tion, testified  as  follows: 

Q.     "What  is  your  English  name?" 

A.     "Hooker  Jim." 

Q.     "Were  you  present  when  General  Canby  was  killed?" 

A.     "I  was." 

Q.  "Did  you  know  that  he  and  the  Commissioners  were 
to  be  killed?" 

A.     "I  did." 

Q.     "Are  you  now  a  friend  to  Capt.  Jack?" 

A.  "I  have  been  a  friend  to  Jack,  but  he  got  mad  at 
me  for  something  unknown  to  me." 

Q.     "Have  you  ever  had  a  quarrel  or  a  fight  with  him?" 

A.  "I  had  a  quarrel  and  a  little  fight  with  him  over  to 
Dry  Lake,  beyond  the  Lava  Beds." 

Q.  "How  did  you  know  that  the  Commissioners  were 
going  to  be  killed?" 

A.     "I  heard  Capt.  Jack  and  Schonchin  talking  about  it." 

Q.     "Where  were  they  when  you  heard  them?" 

A.     "At  Capt.  Jack's  house  or  cave." 

BY  COMMISSION:  "What  part  were  you  detailed  in, 
if  any,  in  murdering  the  Commissioners?" 

A.  "I  tried  to  get  Dyar  but  failed.  I  shot  at  him  many 
times." 

Q.  "Had  you  agreed  to  kill  one  of  the  parties  before 
the  attack?" 

178 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

A.     "I  said  I  would  kill  one  of  them  if  I  could." 

Q.     "Do  you  like  Capt.  Jack  now  or  dislike  him?" 

A.     "I  don't  like  him  very  much  now." 

William  or  Whieum,  known  afterwards  as  Faithful  Wil- 
liam, was  next  called  for  the  prosecution  and  was  sworn. 
He  testified  as  follows : 

Q.     BY  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:     "What  is  your  name?" 

A.     "Whieum." 

Q.     "Were  you  with  the  Modocs  in  the  Lava  Beds?" 

A.     "Yes." 

Q.     "Do  you  remember  when  General  Canby  was  killed?" 

A.     "Yes,  I  know  that  they  went  to  kill  him." 

Q.     "Did  you  know  that  he  was  going  to  be  killed?" 

A.     "Yes,  I  knew  they  were  going  to  kill  him." 

Q.  "Did  you  know  they  were  going  to  kill  the  Peace 
Commissioners  ?" 

A.     "Yes." 

Q.     "Were  you  at  the  killing  ?" 

A.     "No,  I  didn't  go." 

Q.     "How  did  you  know  they  were  to  kill  them?" 

A.     "I  heard  Jack  and  Schonchin  talking  about  it." 

Q.     "Anyone  else?" 

A.  "They  were  the  only  ones  I  heard  say  anything  about 
it." 

Q.     "How  long  was  this  before  the  killing?" 

A.  "I  do  not  remember,  but  it  must  have  been  eight  or 
ten  days." 

Q.     "Did  you  speak  to  anybody  about  it?" 

A.     "Yes,  I  told  about  it." 

Q.     "To  whom?" 

A.     "I  told  this  woman  here,  Tobey,  Riddle's  wife." 

Q.     "What  did  you  tell  her?" 

A.  "I  told  her  to  tell  the  Peace  Commissioners  not  to 
meet  the  Indians  any  more.  That  I  did  not  want  to  see  them 
killed." 

While  this  man  is  under  examination  as  a  witness,  A.  B. 
Meacham  enters  the  courtroom.  The  prisoners  fix  their  eyes 

179 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

on  him  steadfastly  until  now.  They  had  doubted  his  recov- 
ery from  his  wounds. 

A.  B.  Meacham,  citizen,  called  for  the  prosecution,  duly 
sworn,  testified  as  follows : 

Q.     BY  JUDGE  ADVOCATE:     'What  is  your  name?" 

A.     "Alfred  B.  Meacham." 

Q.     "Are  you  a  citizen  of  the  United  States?" 

A.     "I  am." 

Q.  "What  position  did  you  hold  in  connection  with  the 
late  war;  with  the  Modoc  Indians?" 

A.  "I  was  appointed  by  Secretary  Delano  as  Chairman 
of  the  Peace  Commissioners,  as  Special  Commissioner." 

Q.     "Now  state  what  occurred  next." 

A.  "During  the  day  the  propositions  that  were  made  by 
Boston  Charley,  that  is  on  Thursday,  were  accepted  by  Dr. 
Thomas  and  an  agreement  made  to  meet  Capt.  Jack  and 
five  unarmed  men  at  eleven  o'clock,  all  parties  unarmed  at 
the  council  tent,  on  Friday.  I  knew  this  agreement  to  have 
been  made  by  Dr.  Thomas  on  the  evening  of  the  tenth  on 
my  return  from  Boyles  Camp  that  night." 

Q.     "Did  he  give  it  to  you  officially?" 

A.  "Yes,  sir.  When  I  started  on  the  visit  to  Boyles 
Camp,  I  said  to  Dr.  Thomas,  *If  occasion  requires  my  pres- 
ence in  any  business,  you  will  act  in  my  capacity  as  Chair- 
man of  the  Commission,'  and  as  acting  Chairman  of  the 
Commission  he  made  this  arrangement,  and  so  notified  me." 

Q.     "After  that  what  followed?" 

A.  "I  protested  against  the  meeting,  but  subsequently 
yielded  to  the  opinions  of  General  Canby  and  Dr.  Thomas, 
Mr.  Dyar  and  I  dissenting." 

Q.     "Had  General  Canby  a  weapon  on  his  person?" 

A.     "Not  that  I  am  aware  of." 

Q.     "Had  Dr.  Thomas?" 

A.     "I  know  he  had  not." 

H.  R.  Anderson,  Lieutenant  of  Fourth  Artillery,  was  duly 
sworn.  His  evidence  was  chiefly  in  regard  to  General  Can- 
by's  relation  to  the  government,  the  army  and  the  Peace 
Commission. 

180 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Q.  "What  command  did  he  hold,  if  any,  at  the  time  of 
his  death?" 

A.  "Department  of  the  Columbia  and  adviser  to  the 
Peace  Commission  under  telegraphic  instructions  from 
Washington." 

Q.  "Was  he  in  receipt  of  any  instructions  from  any 
source  as  to  the  course  he  was  to  pursue ;  was  he  receiving 
instructions  from  time  to  time?" 

A.  Yes,  sir,  from  time  to  time  from  the  commanding 
General  of  the  Army." 

Q.  "What  kind  of  instructions  were  they;  did  you  see 
them  yourself?" 

A.     "Yes,  sir.  Generally  telegraphic  instructions." 

Q.  "What  were  they  like,  or  nature  of  them;  what  did 
they  instruct  him  to  do?" 

A.  "Instructed  him  to  use  his  utmost  endeavors  to 
bring  about  a  peaceable  termination  of  the  trouble." 

Q.  "What  relation  did  he  hold  with  the  Peace  Com- 
missioners?" 

A.  "He  was  ordered  down  there  to  consult  and  advise 
with  them." 

Q.     "Do  you  remember  General  Canby's  initials?" 

A.  "E.  R.  S.  His  full  name  was  Edward  Richard  Sprigg 
Canby." 

Henry  C.  McEldery,  assistant  surgeon,  was  next  called 
for  the  prosecution. 

Q.  "Did  you  see  the  body  of  General  Canby  after  his 
decease?" 

A.     "I  did,  sir;  I  saw  it  on  the  field  on  April  11th." 

Q.     "Was  the  General  dead?" 

A.     "Yes,  sir;  he  was  quite  dead  when  I  saw  him." 

Q.     "Please  describe  his  condition." 

A.  "He  had  been  entirely  stripped  of  every  article  of 
clothing;  he  had  three  wounds  on  his  body  and  several 
abrasions  of  the  face,  one  of  the  wounds  apparently  made  by 
a  ball  was  about  at  the  inner  canthus  of  the  left  eye.  The 
edges  of  that  wound  were  depressed  as  if  the  ball  had  en- 
tered there." 

181 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Q.     "Did  you  see  Dr.  Thomas'  body?" 

A.  *'I  saw  him.  There  were  several  gun  shot  wounds  in 
his  body,  but  I  don't  recollect  sufficient  to  swear  to  the 
exact  locality  of  each  one." 

Q.  "What  was  your  opinion  as  to  the  cause  of  his 
death?" 

A.  "I  think  the  gun  shot  wound  over  his  heart  was  the 
cause  of  his  death?" 

Q.     "Did  he  die  of  wounds  received  on  that  day?" 

A.  "I  think  the  wounds  that  I  saw  were  sufficient  to 
cause  his  death.  Yes,  sir." 

TESTIMONY  FOR  DEFENSE 

Scarface  Charley,  Dave,  One  Eyed  Mose  and  one  or  two 
other  Modoc  Indians  were  sworn,  and  testified  at  length. 
The  main  feature  of  their  evidence  is  that  they  have  been 
encouraged  by  the  Klamath  Indians  to  resist  the  govern- 
ment, which  they  did. 

Capt.  Jack  is  now  informed  by  the  Court  that  he  is  at 
liberty  to  make  a  statement  on  behalf  of  himself  and  his 
people.  He  rises  with  some  hesitation,  first  casting  his  eyes 
on  the  chains  on  his  legs.  He  then  mutters  in  his  native 
tongue,  ^^Kasker-nu-nen-hankonks-gen-wade-te-Sho  lo  tun- 
ko''  (I  cannot  talk  dressed  in  these  irons) .  He  says  in  part: 

"I  see  that  I  have  no  show,  my  days  are  gone.  When  I 
was  a  boy,  I  had  it  in  my  heart  to  be  a  friend  to  the  white 
people.  I  was  a  friend  to  them  until  a  few  months  ago.  Now 
listen,  what  was  it  that  turned  my  heart?  My  own  people. 
Some  of  these  very  men  are  here  today,  at  liberty,  free  men, 
while  I  am  here  in  irons.  Life  is  mine  only  for  a  short  time. 
You  white  people  conquered  me  not;  my  own  men  did.  I 
know  it,  I  feel  it.  The  reason  I  say  these  words  are  these: 
Some  of  my  men  voted  to  kill  the  Commissioners.  I  fought 
it  with  all  my  might.  I  begged  them  not  to  kill  unarmed 
men.  What  did  they  finally  do?  They  threw  me  down, 
placed  a  woman's  hat  on  my  head,  pointed  at  me,  saying, 
'Squaw,  squaw!  Lie  there.  You  may  not  take  part  in  our 
plot.  That's  alright,  be  not  afraid  that  you  will  die  with  a 
soldier's  bullet.  We  will  save  that  trouble  for  the  soldier 

182 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

now.'  What  could  I  do.  My  life  was  at  stake  no  matter 
which  way  I  might  turn,  so  I  agreed  to  do  the  coward's  act, 
which  the  world  knows  this  day.  All  I  wish  is  that  my  side 
of  the  story  may  be  told.  I  am  not  afraid  to  die,  but  I  must 
say  I  am  ashamed  to  die  the  way  that  I  am  to  die,  with  my 
hands  tied  behind  me.  Ashamed  is  not  the  right  expression. 
I  once  thought  that  I  would  die  on  the  battlefield,  defending 
my  rights  and  home  that  was  mine,  given  to  me  by  no  man. 
Judge  Roseborough  and  Squire  Steele  of  Yreka  were  both 
men.  They  gave  me  good  advice.  I  shall  carry  their  words 
in  my  heart,  to  the  last  moment  of  my  life.  I  feel  not  that 
I  am  defeated  rightly.  The  very  men  that  drove  me  to  kill 
Canby,  gave  themselves  up  and  then  run  me  down.  If  I 
had  only  known  what  they  were  doing,  you  men  would  not 
have  had  me  here  today  with  chains  on  my  legs  and  with 
satisfied  smiles  on  your  faces,  for  I  would  have  died  fight- 
ing, but  my  people  lied  to  me,  so  I  would  not  shoot  them. 
The  men  that  I  speak  of  are  here  now  free.  They  fought 
for  their  liberty  with  my  life.  They  all  did  just  as  bad  deeds 
as  I  did  when  I  killed  that  noble  man  Canby.  I  see  it  is  too 
late  to  repent  now.  It  is  my  duty  to  give  some  explanation, 
so  that  the  White  Father  may  know  something  of  what 
caused  me  to  fall.  So  I  will  say  again,  hoping  that  at  least 
a  few  of  my  words  may  become  known  to  the  white  people. 
I  see  no  crime  in  my  heart  although  I  killed  Canby.  But 
why  did  I  do  it?  Do  you  understand?  I  was  forced  to  do  it. 
I  did  it  to  save  my  life  for  a  while.  I  thought  I  would  die 
on  the  battle-field  fighting  you  white  soldiers.  You  white 
people  have  driven  me  from  mountain  to  mountain,  from 
valley  to  valley,  like  we  do  the  wounded  deer.  At  last  you 
have  got  me  here.  I  see  but  a  few  days  more  ahead  of  me. 
If  I  had  of  got  a  lawyer  when  my  trial  commenced,  I  do  not 
think  that  I  and  these  other  men  would  be  the  only  ones 
that  would  have  been  condemned  to  die.  The  very  men  that 
are  free  today  would  have  surely  been  with  us  right  now. 

''What  talk  I  put  up  is  no  good.  Why,  I  am  a  murderer! 
Everybody  says  that.  That  is  so.  Do  I  deny  the  charge? 
No,  I  do  not.  I  did  it,  but  I  say  again  I  had  to  do  it.  Now 

183 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

for  the  last  time,  I  say  again,  I  am  ashamed  of  my  coming 
death,  but  not  afraid.  What  our  White  Father  says  is  right. 
I  must  die,  so  this  is  all.  I  have  no  more  to  say.  I  see  in  your 
faces  you  are  tired  of  listening  to  me.  Perhaps  some  of  you 
think  I  am  lying,  but  my  friends,  I  tell  the  truth.  I  still  feel 
for  the  welfare  of  my  young  boys  and  girls.  I  hope  the 
white  people  will  not  ill  treat  them  on  my  account,  for  they 
cannot  help  what  wrongs  I  did.  That  is  the  one  matter  and 
the  only  matter  that  bothers  me  is  my  young  people.  I  hope 
the  White  Father  at  Washington  will  give  them  a  good 
home  and  start  them  in  life.  If  the  government  will  give 
them  a  chance,  they  will  show  or  prove  that  the  govern- 
ment's efforts  will  not  be  in  vain. 

'The  government  ought  to  care  for  my  young  people. 
See  the  good  land  and  the  size  of  my  country  that  is  taken 
away  from  me  and  my  people.  If  I  wanted  to  talk  more,  I 
could  do  so  and  tell  you  facts  and  prove  by  white  people 
that  would  open  the  eyes  of  all  of  you  that  are  here  today 
about  the  way  my  people  have  been  murdered  by  the 
whites.  I  will  say,  not  one  white  man  has  ever  been  pun- 
ished for  their  deeds.  If  the  white  people  that  killed  our 
women  and  children  had  been  tried  and  punished.  I  would 
not  have  thought  so  much  of  myself  and  companions.  Could 
I  ?  Could  I  ?  Please  answer.  No,  you  men  answer  me  not.  Do 
we  Indians  stand  any  show  for  justice  with  you  white  peo- 
ple, with  your  own  laws?  I  say  no.  I  know  it.  You  people 
can  shoot  any  of  us  Indians  any  time  you  want  to  whether 
we  are  in  war  or  in  peace.  Can  any  of  you  tell  me  where 
ever  any  man  has  been  punished  in  the  past  for  killing  a 
Modoc  in  cold  blood?  No,  you  cannot  tell  me.  I  am  on  the 
edge  of  my  grave ;  my  life  is  in  your  people's  hands.  I  charge 
the  white  people  of  wholesale  murder.  Not  only  once  but 
many  times.  Think  about  Ben  Wright.  What  did  he  do? 
He  killed  nearly  fifty  of  my  people.  Among  the  killed  was 
my  father.  He  was  holding  a  peace  council  with  them.  Was 
he  or  any  of  his  men  punished  ?  No,  not  one.  Mind  you,  Ben 
Wright  and  his  men  were  civilized  white  people.  The  other 
civilized  white  people  at  Yreka,  California,  made  a  big  hero 

184 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


of  him,  gave  him  a  fine  dinner  and  a  big  dance  in  his  honor 
for  murdering  innocent  Indians.  He  was  praised  for  his 
crime.  Now  here  I  am.  Killed  one  man,  after  I  had. been 
fooled  by  him  many  times  and  forced  to  do  the  act  by  my 
own  warriors.  The  law  says,  hang  him.  He  is  nothing  but 
an  Indian  anyhow.  We  can  kill  them  any  time  for  nothing, 
but  this  one  has  done  something,  so  hang  him.  Why  did 
not  the  white  man's  law  say  that  about  Ben  Wright?  So 
now  I  do  quit  talking.  In  a  few  days  I  will  be  no  more.  I 
now  bid  the  world  farewell." 

Slolux,*  one  of  the  young  Modocs  who  carried  the  rifles 
to  the  council  tent  on  the  morning  of  the  assassination,  was 
next  to  speak.  He  denied  any  part  of  the  terrible  crime. 
Black  Jim,  half-brother  to  Capt.  Jack,  spoke  next.  He  was 
anxious  to  live,  that  he  might  take  care  of  the  tribe,  say- 
ing, "I  don't  know  what 
Capt.  Jack  and  Schonchin 
think  of  it."  Jack  shook  his 
head.  Jim  continued,  "If  the 
white  chief's  laws  say  I  am 
guilty  of  crime,  let  me  die. 
I  am  not  afraid  to  die.  I  am 
afraid  of  nothing.  I  should 
like  to  hear  the  Spirit 
Man's  talk." 

Boston  Charley  was  the 
next  speaker.  He  created  a 
sensation. 

"You  all  knew  me  during 
the  war.  It  seemed  to  me 
that  I  have  two  hearts,  one 
Indian  and  the  other  white. 
I  am  only  a  boy  and  yet  you 
all  know  what  I  have  done ; 
although  a  boy,  I  feel  like 
a  man,  and  when  I  look  on 


George  Denny,  Indian  name  Slolux. 
One  of  the  Modoc  warriors,  sentenced 
for  life  to  Alcatraz  Island,  S.  F.  Bay, 
and  pardoned  after  serving  five  or  six 
years.  Died  at  Quapaw  Agency,  Okla- 
homa, July  22,  1899. 


*English  name  George  Denny;  was  pardoned  after  serving  five  or  six 
years.    He  died  at  Quapaw  Agency,  Indian  Territory,  July  23,  1899. 

185 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

each  side  of  me,  I  think  of  these  other  men  as  women.  I  do 
not  fear  death.  I  think  that  I  am  the  only  man  in  the  room. 
I  fought  in  the  front  rank  with  Shaknasty,  Steamboat, 
Bogus  and  Hooker.  I  am  altogether  a  man,  and  not  half 
woman.  I  killed  Dr.  Thomas,  assisted  by  Steamboat  and 
Bogus.  Bogus  said  to  me,  'Do  you  believe  that  these  Com- 
missioners mean  to  try  to  make  peace?'  I  said,  1  believe  so.' 
He  said,  *I  don't.  They  want  to  meet  us  into  some  trap.'  I 
said,  'Alright,  I  go  with  you.'  I  would  like  to  see  all  my 
people  and  bid  farewell.  I  would  like  to  go  to  the  stockade 
to  see  them.  I  see  that  if  I  were  to  incriminate  others  it 
would  not  amount  to  anything.  I  see  that  it  is  too  late.  I 
know  that  other  chiefs  were  not  at  the  bottom  of  that  af- 
fair, and  they  did  not  take  so  prominent  a  part  in  the  massa- 
cre as  the  younger  men.  I  know  but  little,  but  when  I  see 
anything  with  my  eyes,  I  know  it." 

Boston  was  then  asked  why  they  killed  Canby.  He  said 
that  all  the  presents  they  had  received  had  no  influence  on 
them,  and  they  suspected  Canby  and  the  Commissioners  of 
treachery  and  their  hearts  were  wild.  After  the  young  man 
had  to  kill  the  Commissioners,  he  told  Bogus  he  was  afraid. 
Bogus  said,  "Don't  be  afraid.  I  can  kill  Canby."  After  that 
Capt.  Jack  said  he  would  go  and  prevent  it.  The  object  of 
Bogus  going  in  that  night  to  camp  was  to  remove  any  sus- 
picion from  General  Canby's  mind.  The  young  warriors 
thought  that  Canby,  Thomas,  Meacham  and  Gillem  were 
powerful  men  and  that  the  death  of  these  Tyees  would 
avoid  all  further  troubles.  When  they  saw  Dyar  coming  in 
in  place  of  Gillem  they  decided  to  kill  them  all.  "I  am  telling 
what  I  know  to  be  the  truth,  nothing  more." 

Boston's  reference  to  the  part  taken  by  the  chief  caused 
Capt.  Jack  to  speak  once  more.  He  seemed  anxious  to  have 
Hooker  and  Bogus  put  on  the  trial  and  finally  concluded: 
"If  I  am  to  die  I  am  ready  to  go  to  see  my  Great  Father  in 
the  Spirit  Land."  Schonchin  was  the  last  to  speak.  "The 
Great  Spirit  who  looked  from  above  will  see  Schonchin  in 
chains,  but  he  knows  that  his  heart  is  good,  and  says,  you 
die ;  you  become  one  of  my  people.  I  will  now  try  to  believe 

186 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

that  the  White  Father  is  doing  according  to  the  will  of  the 
Great  Spirit  in  condemning  me  to  die.  You  may  all  look  at 
me  and  see  that  I  am  firm  and  resolute.  I  am  trying  to 
think  that  it  is  just  that  I  should  die,  and  that  the  Great 
Spirit  approves  of  it  and  says  it  is  law.  If  I  am  to  die,  I 
leave  my  son,  and  I  hope  he  will  be  allowed  to  remain  in 
this  country.  I  hope  he  will  grow  up  like  a  good  man.  I 
want  to  turn  him  over  to  the  Old  Chief  Schonchin  at  Yain- 
ax,  who  will  make  a  good  man  of  him.  I  have  always  looked 
on  the  younger  men  of  our  tribe  as  my  especial  charge  and 
have  reasoned  with  them,  and  now  I  am  to  die  as  the  result 
of  their  bad  conduct.  I  leave  four  of  my  children  and  I  wish 
them  turned  over  to  my  brother  at  Yainax.  It  is  doing  a 
great  wrong  to  take  my  life.  I  was  an  old  man  and  took 
no  active  part  in  the  war.  I  would  like  to  see  those  exe- 
cuted for  whom  I  am  wearing  chains.  In  the  boys  who 
murdered  the  Commissioners  I  have  an  interest  as  though 
they  were  my  own  children.  If  the  law  does  not  kill  them, 
they  may  grow  up  and  become  good  men.  I  look  back  at 
the  history  of  the  Modoc  war  and  I  can  see  O'Deneal  at  the 
bottom  of  all  the  trouble.  He  came  down  to  Linkvillet  with 
Ivan  Applegate,  sent  Ivan  to  see  and  talk  with  Capt.  Jack. 
If  O'Deneal  came  by  himself,  all  the  Modocs  would  go  to 
Yainax.  I  think  that  O'DenealJ  is  responsible  for  the  mur- 
der of  Canby,  for  the  blood  in  the  Lava  Beds  and  the  chains 
on  my  feet,  have  heard  of  reports  that  were  sent  to  Yreka, 
Ashland  and  Jacksonville,  that  the  Modocs  were  on  the  war- 
path and  such  bad  talk  brought  Major  Jackson  and  the 
soldiers  down.     I  don't  want  to  say  if  I  am  found  guilty, 

tKlamath  Falls,  Oregon. 

JSupt.  Thomas  B.  O'Deneal,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  was  bom  Oct.  21, 
1843,  and  went  to  Missouri  at  an  early  age,  and  came  to  Oregon  in  1852. 
He  was  a  lawyer,  County  Judge  of  Benton  county,  Oregon,  in  1870,  and 
was  the  founder  and  editor  of  the  "Corvallis  Gazette."  Was  appointed 
Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs  in  1872  with  headquarters  at  Salem, 
Oregon,  and  retained  that  position  until  it  was  abolished  in  1874.  He  was 
then  made  business  manager  of  the  "Portland  Daily  Bulletin,"  at  that 
time  a  strong  competitor  of  the  "Oregonian."  The  papers  were  merged 
in  1875,  retaining  the  name  "Oregonian."  He  was  afterwards  clerk  of  rhe 
Supreme  Court  of  the  State  of  Oregon.  He  died  at  Salem,  Oregon,  June 
25,  1886. 

187 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

that  it  would  not  be  right,  but  after  our  retreat  from  Lost 
River,  I  would  come  in  and  surrender  and  be  secure.  I  felt 
that  these  murders  had  been  committed  by  the  boys  and 
that  I  had  been  carried  along  with  the  tide.  If  I  had  blood 
on  my  hands  like  Boston  Charley,  I  could  say  like  him,  *I 
killed  General  Canby.  I  killed  Thomas.'  But  I  had  nothing 
to  say  about  the  decision  and  I  never  asked. 

''You  are  the  law-giving  parties.  You  say  I  must  die.  I 
am  satisfied  if  the  law  is  correct.  I  have  made  a  straight 
speech.  I  would  like  to  see  the  White  Father  face  to  face 
and  talk  with  him,  but  he  is  a  long  distance  off,  like  at  the 


This  old  building,  which  is  a  double  log  house  with  two  large  outside 
chimneys,  has  an  open  fireplace  in  which  logs  of  wood  were  burned. 
Was  erected  about  1833  when  the  Seneca  and  Cayuga  Indians  of  New 
York  were  located  here.  This  building  was  still  in  use  as  the  U.  S. 
Indian  Agent's  headquarters  when  the  Modoc  prisoners  were  brought 
to  Quapaw  Agency  in  1873. 


top  of  a  high  hill,  with  me  at  the  bottom  and  I  cannot  go  to 
him,  but  he  has  made  his  decision,  made  his  law,  and  now 
I  say  let  me  die.  I  do  not  talk  to  cross  decisions.  My  heart 
tells  me  I  should  not  die ;  that  you  do  me  a  great  wrong  in 

188 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

taking  my  life.  War  is  a  terrible  thing;  all  must  suffer. 
The  best  horses,  the  best  cattle  and  the  best  men.  I  can 
only  say  let  Schonchin  die." 

At  the  close  of  the  trial,  there  was  only  four  convicted  to 
hang,  and  two  to  be  sent  to  a  penitentiary  in  California, 
Alcatraz  Island,  for  life.  The  ones  to  be  hanged  was  Cap- 
tain Jack,  Schonchin,  Sub-Chief;  Black  Jim,  policeman  or 
watchman;  Boston  Charley,  a  common  warrior.  The  ones 
sent  to  the  penitentiary  were  Boncho  and  Slolux,  or  Modoc 
name,  Elulksaltako. 


One-Eyed  Dixie.  Present  day.  Photo  taken  at  the  Snake  Camp, 
Klamath  Indian  Reservation,  near  Bly,  Oregon,  where  she  now  re- 
sides with  her  daughter. 


189 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


CHAPTER  XVII 

Captain  Jack,  John  Schonchin,  Black  Jim  and  Boston  Charley,  hung  3rd 
day  of  October,  1873 — Boncho*  and  Slolux,  or  Modoc  name  Elulk- 
saltako,  sent  to  penitentiary  in  California,  for  life. — The  rest  of  the 
prisoners  taken  to  Quapaw  Agency,  Indian  Territory.  Thus  the 
Modoc  War  ends. 

Bright  and  early  on  the  morning  of  October  3,  1873,  Chief 
Schonchin  of  Yainax,  a  brother  of  John  chonchin,  the  con- 
demned sub-chief,  was  at  Fort  Klamath  with  a  few  of  his 


Peter  Schonchin,  son  of  John  Schonchin,  who  was  hung 
at  Fort  Klamath,  showing  his  family.  This  photo  was 
taken  at  his  ranch  near  the  Yainax. 

men.    Just  before  the  cap  was  drawn  over  John  Schonchin's 
head,  while  he  was  standing  beside  the  other  condemned 

♦Boncho  died  at  Alcatraz  Island,  May  28,  1875. 

190 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

men  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  Chief  Schonchin  of  Yainax 
stepped  forward  and  addressed  his  brother  with  the  follow- 
ing words : 

"My  brother,  I  came  not  here  to  bid  you  farewell,  but  to 
see  if  you  die  like  a  man.  I  see  you  lack  courage.  I  see 
tears  in  your  eyes.  You  would  not  and  did  not  listen  to 
me,  so  now  I  say 
I  cast  you  to  the 
four  winds.  You 
are  no  brother  of 
mine.  You  put  a 
black  mark  upon 
my  name,  al- 
though my  word 
is  as  true  as  the 
sun,  so  now  die. 
I  cast  you  away." 
He  turned  and 
rode  away,  fol- 
lowed by  his  men. 
A  white  preach- 
er told  Capt.  Jack 
that  he  must  not 
be  afraid  to  die, 
that  he  was  go- 
i  n  g  to  a  nice 
place,  and  said: 
"Jack,  you  will 
never  want  for 
anything.  God 
will  furnish  you 
with  everything 
you  will  use  with- 


1 

1^ 

. 

I 

Ip  #           ■ 

i 

L 

Long  Jim  and  wife,  a  Modoc  warrior,  died  at  Qua- 
paw  about  1880.  His  wife  Anna  is  now  married 
again  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Spicer;  they  now 
reside  at  the  Yainax. 


out  you  even  asking  for  them."  Jack  said:  "Is  that  so? 
You  say,  Mr.  Preacher,  that  the  place  I  am  going  to  is  a 
nice  place,  eh?  Do  you  like  the  place  you  call  heaven?" 
Preacher  said,  "Yes,  it  is  a  beautiful  place."  "Well,"  Jack 
says,  "Preacher,  I  tell  you  what  111  do  with  you.     I  will 


191 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


give  you  just  twenty-five  head  of  ponies  if  you  will  take  my 
place  today,  as  you  say  it  is  such  a  nice  place;  because  I 
do  not  like  to  go  right  now."  The  preacher  acted  rather 
funny  for  a  few  minutes,  but  finally  recovered  his  wits  and 
told  Jack  he  guessed  he  would  not  trade  places  with  him. 

The  four  condemned  braves  met  their  death  bravely. 
Schonchin  was  the  only  one  that  showed  weakness. 

Capt.  Jack's  body  was  dug  up  the  following  night  by 

some  man  and  taken 
to  Yreka,  California, 
and  after  it  was  pre- 
pared for  a  certain 
purpose  it  was  taken 
to  Washington,  D.  C, 
and  there  exhibited  to 
the  public  at  ten  cents 
a  sight.  Undoubtedly 
the  man  that  did  this 
was  too  lazy  to  work. 
He  wanted  easy  mon- 
ey. 

I  have  forgotten 
whether  it  was  the 
fourth  or  fifth  of  Oc- 
tober, 1873,;-  that  all 
the  Modocs  were  hus- 
tled    to     government 


Johnny  Ball,  a  Modoc  warrior,  aged  61. 
This  photo  taken  at  Quapaw  Agency, 
Oklahoma,  April,  1913.  Ball  returned  to 
the  Yainax,  1913. 


wagons  and  started  on 
the  road  for  the  near- 
est railroad;  that  was 
Redding,  California, 
one  company  of  soldiers  accompanying  them.  I  never 
learnt  the  name  of  the  officer  that  had  the  Indians  in 
charge.     They  were  all  settled  at  Quapaw  Agency,  Indian 

fThe  Modoc  prisoners,  consisting  of  39  men,  54  women  and  60  children, 
were  conducted  from  Fort  Klamath,  Oregon,  to  Fort  McPherson,  Neb., 
October  24th,  1873,  by  Captain  H.  C.  Hasbrook,  4th  Artillery,  U.  S.  A.. 
War  Department,  Washington  City,  Nov.  1st,  1873. 

Col.  J.  J.  Reynolds,  3rd  Cav. — In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the  31st  inst., 

192 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Territory,  now  known  as  Oklahoma.  The  government  alot- 
ted  them  land,  a  few  acres  after  they  had  been  settled  there, 
forty  to  seventy  acres  each.  The  older  Indians  nearly  all 
died  off  in  just  a  few  years.  The  change  of  climate  did  not 
agree  with  them.  All  the  warriors  died  except  just  a  few. 
They  are  now  living  in  Oregon  on  the  Klamath  Indian  Res- 
ervation, namely:  Ben  Lawver  (Ha-kar-gar-ush),  Mr.  Peter 
Schonchin,  son  of  sub-chief  John  Schonchin  who  was  hung 
on  October  3rd  at 
Fort  Klamath, 
Oregon,  in  1873; 
Whus  -  sum-Kpel, 
known  now  as 
Henry  Hudson. 
These  are  the  on- 
ly three  men  liv- 
ing here  that  took 
a  hand  in  the  Mo- 
doc war  of  1872 
and  1873.  There 
is  one  at  Qua- 
paw,  Oklahoma. 
His  name  is  John- 
ny Ball  J,  so  there 
are  only  four  left 
out  of  fifty-two 
warriors  that 
held    one    thous- 


Martha  Lawver,  mother  of  Ben  Lawver.  Died  at 
Quapaw  Agency,  Oklahoma,  March  31,  1913,  aged 
106.  This  picture  was  taken  about  fourteen  years 
ago  and  is  the  property  of  her  youngest  child, 
Jimmy  Clinton  nee  Lawver,  who  is  56  years  old. 


recommend  the  detail  of  Lt.  Melville  C.  Wilkinson  to  proceed  to  Fort, 
Neb.,  and  to  take  charge  of  the  Modoc  prisoners  at  that  place  and  attend 
to  their  transportation  to  the  Quapaw  Agency  in  the  Indian  Territory. 

WM.  W.  BELKNAP,  Secretary  of  War. 
DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR. 
United  States  Indian  Service. 
Seneca  School,  Quapaw  Agency,  Wyandotte,  Okla.,  Nov.  30,  1912. 
There  are  four  or  five  of  the  prisoners  of  war  still  living  here.    Martha 
Lawver,  the  oldest  living  member  of  her  tribe.    She  is  reputed  to  be  past 
105  years  of  age.  (Died  31st  March,  1913.)     Her  daughter  Jennie,  is  past 
60.    She  was  a  grown  woman  when  she  was  brought  here  in  1873.    Mrs. 
Robins,  the  daughter  of  U.  S.  Grant,  is  living  in  this  vicinity.  ,  She  was 
a  young  girl  during  the  Modoc  War.  IRA  C.  DEAVER,  Supt. 

^Returned  to  the  Yainax,  Klamath  Reservation,  Oregon,  1913. 


193 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

and  troops  and  seventy-eight  Warm  Spring  Indian  Scouts 
and  one  company  of  Oregon  Volunteers  at  bay  from  No- 
vember 18,  1872,  to  June  1,  1873.  There  is  also  R.  W.  Hood 
and  Charles  Hood  living  on  the  Klamath  Reservation.  They 
were  boys  at  the  time  of  the  Modoc  War.  Two  others  are 
here  that  was  born  near  Seneca,  Mo. — Amos  Kisk  and 
Parker  Hubbard;  the  above  mentioned  people  are  all  mar- 
ried, most  of  them  has  large  families.  The  other  few  that 
are  now  at  Quapaw,  Oklahoma,  may  come  to  Oregon  to  live 
in  the  future  as  they  have  that  privilege.  There  is  also  one 
woman  survivor.  Her  name  is  One-Eyed  Dixie.  She  lives 
near  the  Yainax,  Klamath,  Oregon,  Reservation. 

There  was  a  bill  passed  (No.  306— H.  R.  16743)  that  the 
remnants  of  Capt.  Jack's  band  of  Modocs,  together  with  the 
descendants,  should  be  restored  to  the  rolls  of  the  Klamath 
Agency  in  Oregon,  that  they  should  be  allotted  as  all  other 
Indians  on  said  reservation,  that  they  be  accorded  all  the 
rights  and  privileges  of  all  other  Indians  enrolled  at  the 
Klamath  Agency,  Oregon;  approved  March  3,  1909.  They 
can  sell  their  lands  at  Quapaw  if  they  want  to  or  lease  their 
allotments,  not  to  exceed  five  years.  Quite  a  number  of 
Klamath  Indians  are  protesting  against  this  move  the  gov- 
ernment did  for  the  Modocs,  but  of  course  they  are  power- 
less to  do  or  undo  what  Uncle  Sam  has  already  did,  so  this 
closes  the  chapters  of  the  struggles  of  the  Modoc  Indians. 

I  want  to  say  here  that  my  education  is  limited  as  all  the 
schooling  I  had  was  only  six  weeks,  so  what  little  education 
I  have  I  learnt  myself.  I  know  that  some  people  will  find 
fault  with  my  history,  but  I  have  given  nothing  but  plain 
facts  and  nothing  but  the  truth. 

The  End. 


194 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

BIOGRAPHY  OF  TOBEY,  WI-NE-MA  RIDDLE, 
WIFE  OF  FRANK  RIDDLE 

(Extracted  from  "Wi-ne-ma  and  Her  People,"  by  A.  B.  Meacham.) 

About  twenty  miles  north  of  the  line  dividing  California 
and  Oregon,  lies  Klamath  Lake.  It  is  forty  miles  long  and 
ten  miles  wide,  dotted  with  small  islands.  It  is  four  thous- 
and feet  above  sea  level.  Its  pure,  transparent  waters  form 
a  beautiful  inland  sea  of  enchanting  loveliness.  The  moun- 
tains on  the  west  bathe  their  feet  in  this  fresh  water  sea, 
whil^  on  the  north  and  east  they  fall  away  several  miles, 
leaving  a  valley  of  great  beauty.  This  lake  is  fed  by  moun- 
tain streams  draining  the  eastern  slope  of  the  southern 
portion  of  the  far-famed  Cascade  Mountains.  Its  principal 
feeder  is  Williamson  River,  which  comes  in  on  the  north. 
At  the  south  end  of  this  charming  lake,  the  mountains  seem 
to  have  shut  it  up  against  the  mountains  on  the  north  and 
west  until  the  water  forced  a  passage  through,  cutting  and 
tearing  its  way,  leaving  the  sides  rough  and  unshapely, 
with  the  rocks  just  as  they  were  rent  at  the  time  of  the 
separation  by  the  mad  flood.  Through  this  opening  the 
stream  pours  in  a  wide  stream  known  as  Link  River,  which, 
falling  about  one  hundred  feet  to  the  mile,  finds  its  level 
in  lower  Klamath  Lake,  which  again,  in  turn,  tears  along 
to  the  Pacific  Ocean  through  the  mountains  for  nearly  one 
hundred  miles. 

On  the  east  side  of  Link  River  near  its  upper  end,  there 
are  streams  of  hot  water  bursting  from  the  depths  of  the 
earth  in  continuous  flow.  These  springs  are  said  to  possess 
wonderful  healing  properties.  When  the  wind  blows  from 
the  south,  the  waters  of  the  upper  Klamath  Lake  are  forced 
back  like  a  great  tide,  leaving  Link  River  almost  dry,  save 
the  deep  holes  and  pools  left  in  the  channel.  In  the  middle 
of  this  channel  the  water  has  cut  in  the  stone,  curious 
holes,  said  to  resemble  the  feet  of  a  large  man.  Near  the 
footprints,  another  wondrous  work  of  nature,  wrought  in 
the  image  of  a  man. 

The  ragged  sides  of  the  cleft  mountain;  the  steam  jets 

195 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

and  hot  springs;  the  footprints  and  the  great  stone  image 
in  the  middle  of  the  river;  the  effect  of  the  south  winds 
upon  the  lake  above,  all  together,  have  furnished  this  sin- 
gular spot  of  the  earth  with  unusual  requisites  for  Indian 
sacred  lands.  Here  for  untold  generations  have  they  come 
to  worship  the  great  Ka-moo-kum-chux  (God)  ;  to  fish,  and 
hold  councils;  believing,  as  they  do,  that  the  holes  in  the 
rock  are  the  footprints  of  God,  and  the  rough-shaped  stone 
in  the  river,  is  His  image.  The  people  who  inhabited  this 
place  were  of  a  somewhat  different  character  from  other 
Indians  of  America.  They  were  formerly  known  as  the 
La-la-cas.  They  claimed  to  be  the  children  of  God,  having 
among  them  traditions  reaching  as  far  back  as  any  written 
history  of  man.  That  they  were  different  from  other  In- 
dians was  declared  by  the  Modoc  War.  Of  the  several 
characters  developed  by  that  war,  none  stands  out  with 
more  claim  to  an  honorable  place  in  history  than  Wi-ne-ma 
(the  woman-chief) ,  who  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  She 
was  born  on  Link  River,  and  very  near  the  sacred  lands  of 
the  La-la-cas  (the  tribe  from  whence  sprang  the  Modocs). 
Her  father  was  a  brother  of  the  hero,  martyr-chief.  Cap- 
tain Jack.  Her  mother  is  said  to  have  belonged  to  a  family 
of  Indians  remarkable  for  one  peculiarity,  that  of  having 
very  fine  brown  or  red  hair.  It  does  not  appear,  however, 
that  there  was  any  other  evidence  of  her  being  more  than 
an  ordinary  Modoc  woman.  She  died  soon  after  the  birth 
of  Wi-ne-ma.  Polygamy  being  an  established  custom 
among  the  Modocs.  Wi-ne-ma  was  a  member  of  a  large 
family,  having,  however,  only  one  brother  and  one  sister. 
In  early  life  she  exhibited  the  rare  qualities,  which  since 
her  growth  into  womanhood,  have  made  her  distinguished. 
She  was  at  first  called  Nan-ook-to-wa —  ''the  strange  child," 
on  account  of  her  habit  of  going  alone  to  the  sacred  springs, 
and  her  fearlessness  in  visiting  the  rocks  where  Ka-moo- 
kum-chux  had  left  his  foot  prints.  Indian  children  have  a 
certain  kind  of  reverential  fear  of  things  sacred.  From  her 
father's  lodge  she  could  see  the  snow-clad  mountain  peaks 
of  the  Cascades,  and  could  hear  the  roar  of  the  rushing 

196 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

waters.  The  lodge  was  near  the  outlet  of  the  lake,  and  it 
was  the  favorite  pastime  of  the  children  to  paddle  on  its 
bosom.  On  one  occasion  when  she,  with  others  of  her  own 
age,  were  thus  engaged,  the  canoe  was  drawn  into  the  cur- 
rent, which  was  so  swift  that  the  stoutest  hearted  brave 
would  not  venture  into  it.  The  father  saw  the  danger  and 
shouted  to  them,  but  too  late,  and  the  slender  craft  was  car- 
ried into  the  rushing  flood  which  roared  and  plunged 
through  the  rocky  shoot.  The  father  was  wild  with  the 
sight,  and  would  have  plunged  into  the  stream  to  save  the 
children,  but  the  canoe  was  carried  so  rapidly  along  that 
he  caught  but  occasional  glimpses  of  it  as  it  rose  like  a 
feather  on  the  huge  waves.  Undaunted,  Nan-ook-to-wa 
stood  in  the  canoe  and  with  quick  eye  steered  right  and 
left  past  the  great  boulders,  commanding  the  other  children 
to  calmness,  as  they  hurled  swiftly  past  the  rocks.  On,  on, 
they  went,  while  the  frightened  father  mounted  his  horse 
and  hurried  down  the  river's  bank,  fast  as  speed  could  fly, 
seeing  his  children  as  they  rose  upon  the  Waves,  and  ex- 
pecting each  time  would  be  the  last.  Away  they  go,  swifter 
than  steed,  swift  as  lightning,  still  on  went  the  flying  canoe, 
and  still  on  went  the  flying  steed,  while  the  canoe  roared 
with  the  united  voices  of  rushing  waters  and  frightened 
people.  Still  the  little  Nan-ook-to-wa  stood  erect,  still  she 
plied  the  paddle,  until  the  canoe  reached  the  calm  surface 
of  the  lower  lake,  when  rounding  with  its  precious  freight, 
the  child  landed  in  safety  to  meet  her  excited  father  and 
the  friends  who  had  joined  in  the  pursuit,  when  she  was 
called  for  the  first  time  Kaitch-ka-na,  Wi-ne-ma,  the  little 
woman-chief.  From  this  time  Wi-ne-ma  was  regarded  by 
her  people  as  an  extraordinary  child,  and  became  the  pet 
of  the  old  warriors  of  her  father's  tribe.  It  was  sufficient 
that  she  was  possessed  of  great  courage  and  could  not  be 
intimidated  by  danger.  The  old  braves  delighted  to  tell  her 
the  stories  of  her  people;  of  the  battles  fought;  of  the 
traditions  of  the  race  regarding  the  history  of  their  or- 
igin; of  Ka-moo-kum-chux  (God)  ;  of  I -sees  (the  son  of 
God)  ;  of  the  first  white  men  they  had  seen,  and  thus  she 

197 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

grew  wise  before  her  time.  Her  father  often  took  her  on 
hunting  expeditions,  and  sometimes  to  the  sacred  lakes  in 
Yai-nax  Mountain. 

He  still  lives*  near  the  place  of  his  birth,  enjoying  the 
confidence  of  all  who  know  him.  He  delights  to  tell  of  the 
little  Wi-ne-ma  going  with  him  to  hunt  the  grizzly,  in  the 
mountains,  and  of  her  daring  in  times  of  danger.  A  white 
man  belonging  to  a  company  of  emigrants  going  into  Ore- 
gon, was  lost  from  his  party,  and  in  a  state  of  destitution 
and  starvation,  he  was  carried  into  the  Indian  village  at 
Link  River.  He  became  the  guest  of  the  family  to  which 
Wi-ne-ma  belonged.  He  was  detained  by  sickness  many 
weeks;  meanwhile  he  learned  to  talk  with  his  benefactors. 
It  was  through  this  sick  man,  that  Wi-ne-ma  first  learned 
of  the  great  cities  and  towns  of  the  white  man,  of  his  civ- 
ilization and  wonderful  achievements.  Her  heart  was  fired 
by  her  first  lessons  in  the  white  man's  history,  and  as  time 
passed  on  she  became  more  and  more  interested,  and  final- 
ly determined  to  know  for  herself,  of  the  higher  life  of  the 
white  man.  Meanwhile  her  boy  lover,  U-le-ta,  had  been  her 
constant  attendant  on  her  rambles  for  fruits  and  flowers. 
She  endeavored  to  inspire  him  with  her  ambition  to  learn 
more  about  the  new  people.  He  was  so  thoroughly  Indian, 
however,  that  she  failed  to  interest  him.  He  sought  to  dis- 
suade her  from  her  purpose,  at  the  same  time  growing 
more  in  love  with  her ;  for  Indians  do  love,  notwithstanding 
that  the  great  civilized  world  treats  them  as  though  they 
were  animals  of  lower  degree.  Although  U-le-ta  was  several 
years  older  than  Wi-ne-ma  he  was  about  as  much  behind 
her  in  general  knowledge,  as  the  white  boy  is  behind  his 
sister,  five  years  his  junior.  When  Wi-ne-ma  had  reached 
fourteen,  she  was  older  than  many  of  her  own  race  and 
sex  of  seventeen  or  eighteen. 

It  was  not  uncommon  for  the  Link  River  Indians  to  visit 
the  miners  in  and  around  Yreka,  California.  It  was  on  one 
of  these  visits  of  Wi-ne-ma's  father  that  she  first  met  Mr. 
Frank  Riddle.  Frank  was  a  miner,  and  had  in  his  cabin  a 

*Since  deceased. 

198 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

talisman  which  had  been  his  anchor  through  the  stormy 
scenes  of  a  miner's  life.  It  was  a  picture  of  a  fair-haired 
girl  whom  he  had  left  behind  him  in  ''Old  Ken  tuck."  He 
had  carried  this  picture  with  him  through  all  his  wander- 
ings, and  it  had  been  to  him  the  reminder  of  his  vows.  The 
fair  face  was  often  before  him,  and  always  seemed  the 
loveliest  on  earth  to  him. 

When  the  old  man,  Se-cot,  Wi-ne-ma's  father,  camped 
upon  the  creek  below  Frank's  cabin,  he  little  dreamed  that 
this  fact  would  rob  him  of  his  child.  Little  thought  Frank 
Riddle  that  the  plump,  round-faced  little  squaw  would  de- 
throne his  boyhood's  love,  and  become  the  empress  of  his 
heart.  After  the  day's  work  was  over,  he,  with  his  partner, 
would  visit  the  Indian  camp,  and  ''swap  stories"  with  the 
braves.  Several  days  passed,  and  Frank  began  to  observe 
that  Wi-ne-ma  manifested  unusual  interest  in  the  talks. 
Often,  too,  he  caught  her  dark  eyes  gazing  at  him  through 
the  long  lashes.  No  words  were  spoken,  but  each  seemed 
to  know  what  the  other  was  thinking.  Who  has  not  had  the 
same  experience?  Curious,  that  the  language  of  love  can 
be  understood  though  never  a  vocal  word  be  spoken.  When 
Se-cot  broke  camp  and  went  away,  Frank  felt,  as  he  termed 
it,  "a  goneness  in  his  heart,"  but  he  had  not  thought  for  a 
moment  of  putting  from  his  memory  the  fair-haired  girl. 
Wi-ne-ma  carried  with  her  the  image  of  Frank  Riddle 
photographed  on  her  heart. 

It  is  told  of  Frank,  by  his  mining  partner,  that  he  pro- 
posed to  knock  off  work  earlier  than  usual  that  day,  and 
that  he  strolled  out  alone,  with  a  small  parcel  in  his  hand, 
containing  the  letters  of  his  Kentucky  sweetheart;  that  on 
his  return  to  the  cabin  he  declared  that  "the  Modoc  maiden 
should  not  make  him  forget  his  girl!"  Be  careful,  Mr.  Rid- 
dle, you  don't  know  what  the  morrow  may  bring  for  you. 
At  the  Indian  lodge  a  young  girl  of  about  fifteen  was  hum- 
ming a  low  tune  in  the  Modoc  tongue.  It  is  the  same  voice 
we  heard  near  the  camp  of  the  Te-ni-noes  two  years  since. 
The  morning  came,  but  no  Wi-ne-ma  was  at  her  father's 
camp.  Supposing  that  she  had  gone  for  the  horses,  her 

199 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

father  felt  no  alarm,  until  an  hour  later,  when  it  was  dis- 
covered that  her  personal  effects  were  missing.  Even  then 
he  did  not  suspect  the  truth,  but  thinking  she  had  only 
gone  to  some  of  her  kindred,  she  would  return. 

She  had  indeed  gone  to  her  cousin's  house.  This  cousin 
had  married  a  white  man.  Wi-ne-ma  told  her  of  her  love 
for  the  young  man  in  the  cabin.  The  cousin  informed  her 
husband,  and  he,  wishing  to  have  congenial  neighbors, 
went  to  Frank,  and  informed  him  of  the  presence  of  the 
maiden  at  his  house,  and  of  her  attachment  for  him.  Frank 
shook  his  head.  He  had  fortified  himself  against  the  charms 
of  the  Indian  maiden,  as  he  thought,  but  consented  to  visit 
her.  Ah!  my  man,  have  you  not  yet  learned  that  when  the 
first  step  is  taken  the  next  follows  easily,  and  then  an- 
other? 

Frank  gave  some  attention  to  his  dress,  putting  on  the 
"biled  shirt"  which  had  been  kept  for  "extra  occasions," 
saying  that  he  would  "go  just  for  the  fun  of  the  thing." 
Ah!  my  boy,  many  a  man  has  started  in  fun,  and  come  out 
in  earnest.  The  face  of  the  fair-haired  girl  went  with  him, 
reproaching  him  for  his  folly,  upbraiding  him  at  every  step, 
and  he  was  half  inclined  to  turn  back,  but  his  companion 
encouraged  him  to  go  on,  saying  that  if  he  "didn't  like  the 
girl  he  needn't  take  her,  that's  all."  When  they  arrived  at 
his  friend's  cabin  he  found  Wi-ne-ma  dressed  in  the  highest 
style  of  the  Modoc  Indians.  He  felt  ashamed  of  having  come, 
as  the  memory  of  his  Kentucky  betrothed  rose  before  his 
mind. 

The  evening  hours  glided  by,  the  strangeness  wore  off, 
and  by  the  aid  of  an  interpreter  the  conversation  became 
interesting.  Wi-ne-ma  sang  love-songs  in  the  Modoc  tongue. 
Frank  told  stories  of  civilized  life.  When  the  parting  came 
Frank  was  more  than  half  in  love  with  the  little  Wi-ne-ma, 
and  she  altogether  so  with  him.  The  visit  was  repeated, 
and  soon  Frank  learned  enough  of  the  language  to  under- 
stand what  Wi-ne-ma  meant  when  she  sang,  ^^Ka-mis-no- 
stin-to^'  (a  Modoc  love-song).  He  trembled  when  he  re- 
membered his  betrothed.  He  faltered;  he  hesitated.  What 

200 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

had  been  only  a  possibility  at  the  beginning,  became  a 
probability.  Driven  on  by  his  growing  love  for  the  Indian 
maiden,  he  at  length  proposed  to  her,  and  she  accepted,  on 
condition  that  he  would,  in  conformity  with  the  usages  of 
her  people,  give  her  father  a  present.  Among  the  Modocs 
it  is  thought  to  be  a  disgrace  for  a  woman  to  live  with  a 
man  who  does  not  think  enough  of  her  to  give  presents  to 
other  people.  Frank  assented,  and  in  the  presence  of  her 
cousin  and  her  husband  the  campact  was  made,  and  they 
were  married,  after  the  forms  of  the  Modoc  Indians.  Wi- 
ne-ma collected  her  personal  effects,  and  went  home  with 
Frank  Riddle,  his  wife. 

The  miner's  cabin  began  to  change  its  appearance.  Under 
Frank's  tuition,  and  through  the  occasional  visits  to  her 
cousin  and  the  few  white  women  who  had  come  with  their 
husbands  to  this  mountain  world,  Wi-ne-ma  soon  put  away 
her  squaw  dress  and  habits.  She  learned  to  cook  according 
to  the  model  she  had  before  her,  and  was  not  long  in  at- 
taining to  the  distinguished  title  of  '*a  first  rate  house- 
keeper." 

When  the  dry  season  had  come,  Frank  and  Wi-ne-ma 
visited  her  people.  Se-cot  had  been  dissatisfied  at  the  mar- 
riage, and  was  not  appeased  by  the  half-dozen  horses  Frank 
had  sent  him  as  a  marriage  present;  but  when  he  found 
Frank  to  be  a  good  shot,  apt  at  story-telling,  and  strictly 
temperate,  he  manifested  his  approbation  of  the  marriage 
by  returning  the  horses  and  adding  to  the  band  from  his 
own  herd. 

As  the  summer  months  wore  away,  Frank  won  not  only 
the  heart  of  the  father  of  Wi-ne-ma,  but  of  the  whole  tribe. 
He  went  with  them  on  fishing  and  hunting  excursions,  and, 
being  a  brave  man  in  times  of  danger,  and  a  splendid  shot, 
with  either  pistol  or  rifle,  he  soon  took  rank  as  a  brave.  It 
was  during  this  visit  that  one  of  those  stranger  than  fiction 
affairs  transpired. 

U-le-ta  had  felt  grieved  at  the  loss  of  Wi-ne-ma,  and  gave 
signs  of  aberration  of  mind,  which  disappointed  love  so  of- 
ten produces  in  life,  for  the  Indian  is  human,  with  all  of 

201 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

humanity's  attributes  and  weaknesses.  He  had  not,  how- 
ever, manifested  his  insanity  to  such  an  extent  that  his 
people  should  keep  watch  of  him;  he  was  permitted  to  go 
upon  the  hunting  and  fishing  journeys.  He  was  observed 
to  be  alone  much  of  his  time,  and  seemed  especially  de- 
pressed in  the  presence  of  Frank  and  Wi-ne-ma.  Nothing 
passed  before  the  eyes  of  the  tribe  to  create  suspicion  that 
he  meditated  harm  to  either  Wi-ne-ma  or  Frank;  but  Wi- 
ne-ma for  some  reason  suspected  him,  and  when  the  band 
went  into  the  Cascade  Mountains  on  the  annual  bear-hunt, 
at  huckleberry  time,  he  was  of  the  party,  as  were  Frank 
and  Wi-ne-ma. 

They  had  been  in  the  mountains  several  days,  and  U-le-ta 
had  not  shown  a  spirit  of  dislike,  but  nevertheless  Wi-ne-ma 
kept  her  eyes  on  him,  lest  he  should  injure  her  husband. 
She  discovered  that  he  would  wait  in  camp  until  Frank  had 
left  for  the  day's  hunt;  and  then  start  in  an  opposite  di- 
rection. This  was  to  her  sufficient  reason  for  following  him, 
which  she  did  on  one  occasion,  and  found,  as  she  suspected, 
that  he  changed  his  course  to  that  taken  by  Frank.  As  he 
crept  slyly  along  the  trail  of  the  white  hunter,  Wi-ne-ma 
followed  him,  and  discovered  that  he  was  more  intent  on 
striking  her  husband's  trail  than  to  raise  the  grizzly  bear. 
Late  in  the  day  the  report  of  a  rifle  was  heard  in  the  dis- 
tance. U-le-ta  quickened  his  steps  and  Wi-ne-ma  kept  on 
his  trail.  Suddenly  she  stopped,  and  raising  her  gun — for 
she  is  a  good  shot — fired  apparently  at  some  object.  It  was 
not  at  a  deer  or  bear,  nor  at  her  old  lover,  but  simply  to 
give  him  knowledge  of  her  presence.  He  turned  at  the  sound 
of  the  rifle,  and  hastened  away  in  another  direction.  He 
had  been  detected  in  the  act  of  drawing  his  gun  upon  Frank 
Riddle.  He  left  the  camp,  returning  to  the  village  at  Link 
River.  Here  he  wandered  about  several  days,  and  at  last 
threw  himself  from  a  canoe  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake  and 
was  drowned.  His  body  was  afterwards  found  on  the  shores 
of  Lower  Klamath  Lake. 

Another  circumstance  occurred  during  this  hunt  that 
demonstrated  the  courage  and  sagacity  of  this  remarkable 

202 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

woman.  Her  husband,  being  ambitious  to  excel  in  hunting, 
was  reckless  in  his  encounters  with  the  grizzly.  He  raised 
a  young  cub,  and  thinking  to  capture  it,  dropped  his  rifle 
and  ran  after  it.  The  cub  made  good  his  escape  by  climbing 
a  tree.  Frank,  unwilling  to  be  outwitted,  began  throwing 
stones.  Very  soon  the  cub  raised  the  cry,  much  to  Frank's 
encouragements.  He  plied  the  rocks;  the  cub  cried  again. 
Frank  had  thrown  with  good  aim,  and  had  evidently 
wounded  the  cub,  who  gave  signs  of  letting  go  the  limb. 
Just  at  this  moment  his  fun  was  interrupted  by  a  sound 
which  put  life  into  his  limbs,  such  as  he  had  not  felt  since 
his  boyhood.  ''Wah,  wah,"  came  to  him  from  the  breaking 
bushes.  He  knew  well  what  it  meant,  and  lost  no  time  put- 
ting in  his  very  best  Kentucky  jumps  down  the  mountain- 
side. He  turned  his  eye  to  see  an  old  she-bear,  as  she  came 
tearing  after  him.  Away  went  Frank,  and  on  came  the  she- 
bear.  As  he  now  describes  the  race,  "it  was  nip  and  tuck 
'twixt  me  and  the  bear,"  with  the  latter  closing  up  the 
space  at  a  fearful  rate,  considering  the  stakes  they  were 
running  for.  Every  muscle  was  doing  duty  on  the  man, 
while  Mrs.  Bear  was  paying  out  muscle  in  quantity  ex- 
tremely unhealthy  to  the  hunter.  Frank  shouted  with  every 
jump;  the  bear  "wah,  wahed"  at  every  bound.  Frank 
thought  his  "time  had  come,"  and  was  almost  in  despair 
of  ever  seeing  his  brown-skinned  wife  again,  when  sudden- 
ly, as  if  she  had  dropped  from  the  clouds,  she  sprang  be- 
tween the  racers,  and  spreading  her  skirts,  shouted  in  Mo- 
doc so  loudly  that  the  mother-bear  suddenly  halted,  and 
turned  about,  making  way  to  her  cub.  The  breathless  Frank 
crept  cautiously  to  where  he  had  dropped  his  gun,  covered 
each  step  by  the  little  rifle  in  Wi-ne-ma's  hands.  When  they 
were  in  camp  again  she  read  him  a  short  chapter  from  her 
Modoc  vocabulary  which  he  will  not  soon  forget.  It  is  said 
on  good  authority  that  a  bear  never  attacks  a  woman. 

At  the  time  of  Wi-ne-ma's  marriage  to  Mr.  Riddle,  the 
several  tribes  in  the  southern  portion  of  Oregon  were  at 
war.  Many  bloody  battles  were  fought  within  the  lines  of 
the  white  settlement ;  wherever  and  whenever  the  members 

203 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

of  hostile  tribes  met  a  fight  ensued.  Wi-ne-ma,  in  the  mean- 
time, took  up  her  residence  near  Yreka,  California.  This 
being  the  only  town  of  importance  in  that  portion  of  the 
country,  the  Indians  round  about  came  to  trade,  and  en- 
emies met  and  fought  sometimes  in  the  streets.  Wi-ne-ma 
became  the  mediator  between  the  several  tribes,  and  also, 
between  her  own  race  and  the  white  man.  Through  her  man- 
agement the  Indians  of  several  of  these  fighting  bands 
were  induced  to  meet  in  a  treaty  council  at  Yreka.  Judge 
Steele  came  to  the  council,  representing  the  white  men,  and 
joined  Wi-ne-ma  and  Frank  in  their  labor  of  peace-mak- 
ing. The  effort  was  successful  and  peace  was  declared,  a 
peace  that  was  continued,  in  so  far  as  the  Indians  were 
concerned,  among  and  between  themselves  to  this  day. 
Numerous  instances  might  be  related  of  Wi-ne-ma's  timely 
intervention  between  the  races,  whereby  bloodshed  was 
averted.  Suffice  it  that  she  was  universally  known  as  ''the 
woman-chief,"  who  could  make  peace,  and  who  always 
calmed  the  threatening  tempest  arising  from  contact  of 
races.  None  knew  her  but  to  respect  her.  Not  a  word  has 
ever  been  uttered  against  her  veracity  or  good  character, 
save  the  incredulity  of  General  Canby  and  Dr.  Thomas  dur- 
ing the  existence  of  the  Modoc  Peace  Commission  in  re- 
fusing to  heed  her  warning  as  to  the  danger  of  meeting  her 
kinsmen  in  the  Lava  Beds.  In  the  Klg,math  council  of  1865, 
she  again  demonstrated  her  power  for  good  by  securing 
the  attendance  of  Captain  Jack,  who  had  refused  to  come  at 
the  invitation  of  the  government.  In  this  council  it  was 
agreed  by  all  parties,  that  both  Schonchin  and  Captain 
Jack  should  be  recognized  as  chiefs.  This  compact  was 
broken  by  the  agent  of  the  government  and  Captain  Jack 
justified  himself  in  leaving  the  reservation. 

Shortly  after  the  withdrawal  of  her  cousin — Captain 
Jack — from  the  reservation,  Wi-ne-ma  visited  him  at  his 
home  on  Lost  River.  She  besought  him  to  return  to  the  res- 
ervation, and  obtained  his  consent  on  certain  conditions. 
Wi-ne-ma  was  unable  to  secure  the  performance  of  the  con- 
ditions, and  Captain  Jack  did  not  go  back  at  that  time. 

204 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

The  Pitt  River  Indians  occupied  the  country  south  of  the 
Modocs.  The  two  tribes  have  long  been  enemies.  The  Pitt 
Rivers  were  not  parties  to  the  treaty  at  Yreka.  Raids  from 
either  side  were  common.  The  latter  made  a  successful  raid 
into  the  Modoc  country,  driving  away  a  large  number  of 
horses  belonging  to  the  allied  tribes.  Wi-ne-ma  being  on  a 
visit  to  her  people  shared  the  loss.  Frank  had  given  her  a 
very  fine  saddle-horse.  This  horse  was  among  those  stolen 
by  the  Pitt  Rivers.  The  pursuit  was  organized,  and  with 
it  went  our  heroine,  determined  to  save  her  horse.  The 
captors  were  overtaken  and  found  to  be  in  strong  force; 
an  engagement  ensued,  and  the  pursuers  were  driven  back ; 
Wi-ne-ma  assumed  command.  Another  fight  ensued.  The 
day  was  doubtful.  The  woman-chief  encouraged  her  braves. 
They  had  not  consented  for  her  to  take  the  advance.  En- 
raged at  the  loss  of  some  of  her  fighting  men,  she  made 
a  charge  at  the  head  of  her  braves  with  such  audacity  and 
skill,  that  the  Pitt  Rivers,  accustomed  to  fight  individual 
style,  each  man  for  himself,  were  taken  by  surprise  and 
completely  routed,  leaving  three  dead  warriors  and  the 
stolen  horses  in  the  possession  of  the  Modocs.  Wi-ne-ma 
refused  to  allow  the  dead  Indians  to  be  scalped  or  mutil- 
ated. Satisfied  with  the  recovery  of  the  horses  and  the 
victory  over  her  enemies,  she  saddled  her  recaptured  horse 
and  bade  her  people  follow,  led  the  way  to  Lost  River.  Some 
of  the  Modoc  braves  who  were  of  this  party  declare  that  the 
woman-chief  can  whip  any  man-chief.  Those  who  have  seen 
her  only  in  repose  cannot  form  an  idea  of  her  wonderful 
courage  and  daring  spirit.  Few  men,  or  women,  of  any  race 
or  tribe,  have  exhibited  such  examples  of  personal  courage 
and  sagacity  as  Wi-ne-ma. 

There  is  a  man  named  Eliot,  living  at  Yreka,  who  does 
not  hesitate  to  declare  that  to  Wi-ne-ma  he  owes  his  life. 
He  was  engaged  in  combat  with  a  Shasta  Indian,  when  the 
squaw  of  the  latter  came  to  the  assistance  of  "her  man," 
with  a  drawn  revolver.  Wi-ne-ma,  taking  in  the  danger, 
sprang  forward,  wrenched  the  pistol  from  the  hands  of  the 
infuriated  squaw,  fired  it  in  the  air  above  her  head,  then, 

205 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

holding  her  arms,  compelled  her  to  observe  neutrality.  The 
fight  ended  and  no  great  harm  was  done.  Wi-ne-ma  brought 
the  parties  together,  made  terms  of  peace,  and  the  com- 
batants became  personal  friends. 

In  the  autumn  of  1867,  Wi-ne-ma  and  Frank  took  up  a 
ranch  a  few  miles  distant  from  Yreka.  Their  home  became 
the  stopping  place  for  stock-hunters,  Indians  and  an  oc- 
casional wayfarer.  Frank  being  an  old-fashioned  Kentuck- 
ian,  always  hung  the  "latch-string  outside,"  and  gave  wel- 
come to  everybody.  He  was  never  known  to  accept  pay  for 
meals  or  horse-feed,  except  upon  one  occasion. 

One  rainy  evening  in  February,  1868,  just  as  darkness 
set  in,  a  voice  shouted,  "Hallo!"  Frank  went  to  the  door 
and  found  a  pompous-looking  man  sitting  on  his  horse.  The 
stranger  asked  for  lodging;  it  was  granted,  and  his  horse 
was  put  in  the  barn.  A  pine-wood  fire  lighted  up  the  cabin, 
and  Wi-ne-ma  prepared  supper.  The  stranger  was  evidently 
a  merchant  "runner"  and  like  nearly  all  small-minded  men 
made  great  display  by  calling  for  extra  sauces,  napkins  and 
such  things  as  he  knew  were  not  in  use  among  frontier 
people. 

Wi-ne-ma  was  vexed ;  Frank  bit  his  lips,  and  said  but  lit- 
tle. The  stranger  brought  out  some  fine  cigars,  and  after 
lighting  one  for  himself,  began  to  talk  glibly  on  the  cost, 
saying  such  cigars  could  not  be  bought  in  San  Francisco 
short  of  twenty  cents  each  by  the  thousand.  He  acted  as 
though  he  was  about  the  only  man  worthy  to  be  heard  on 
that  occasion.  He  descanted  loudly  on  the  old  times  in  the 
South ;  had  much  to  say  about  abolitionism,  miscegenation, 
pure  blood,  and  other  idle  talk,  taking  pains  to  say  "all 
good  Indians  were  four  feet  under  ground,"  talked  of  the 
squaw-men,  etc.  When  Wi-ne-ma  had  prepared  a  bed  for 
him  with  snow-white  sheets,  he  threw  himself  upon  it, 
without  undressing,  taking  pains  to  exhibit  a  pistol,  which 
he  placed  under  the  pillow. 

The  breakfast  over,  the  following  morning,  he  ordered 
his  horse,  as  though  he  had  been  a  lord,  and  lighting  an- 
other fine  Havana  without  offering  one  to  his  host,  he 

206 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

waited  for  his  horse.  With  the  cigar  elevated  at  an  angle,  he 
pompously  asked  for  his  bill,  and  was  brought  to  his  senses 
when  Frank  quietly  informed  him  that  he  did  not  run  a 
hotel  generally,  but  had  begun  about  twelve  hours  since, 
and  as  the  stranger  was  his  first  patron  he  would  only 
charge  him  twelve  dollars;  saying,  **I  should  charge  you 
nothing,  but  you  talk  so  rich,  and  smoke  such  fine  cigars 
you  had  ought  to  pay  according  to  your  big  talk."  The 
stranger  began  to  demur,  but  before  he  had  succeeded  in 
drawing  his  little  pocket  ''popgun,"  Frank  had  covered  him 
completely  with  a  "Navy,"  and  the  pompous  fellow  paid  the 
bill,  Frank  meantime  reading  him  a  short  chapter  upon 
miscegenation  that  was  new  to  him.  Before  mounting, 
Frank  handed  him  the  twelve  dollars,  saying  he  had  hoped 
that  he  would  refuse  to  pay  the  bill,  so  he  could  have  a  good 
excuse  for  thrashing  him  and  teaching  him  common  sense 
and  decency. 

Soon  after,  Frank  met  with  an  accident  which  disabled 
him  for  several  months.  The  farm  comprised  thirty  acres  of 
arable  land.  The  rainy  season  began;  Frank  was  unable  to 
plow.  Wi-ne-ma,  being  physically  robust,  plowed  the  ground, 
sowed  the  barley,  and  with  little  assistance  harvested  the 
crop,  hauled  it  to  market,  sold  it,  and  saved  the  money.  It 
was  during  this  time  that  Wi-ne-ma  demonstrated  her  abil- 
ity to  defend  her  husband's  honor.  A  Yankee  who  had  not 
"acclimated"  well  but  had  retained  his  native  habit  of  "ar- 
guing" things,  came  to  Riddle's  one  day,  and  after  some 
talk  about  a  stray  horse,  intimated  that  Mr.  Riddle  had  be- 
haved unmanly  in  the  matter.  Wi-ne-ma  taking  in  the  sit- 
uation, pitched  into  Mr.  Yank,  and  before  he  knew  it,  his 
head  was  bleeding  profusely  and  a  strong  hand  was  grasp- 
ing his  throat.  He  fought  back  as  best  he  could,  but  the 
poor  little  Yank  was  in  the  hands  of  an  enraged  Modoc 
woman,  who  was  pelting  him  in  the  face,  saying  between 
her  licks,  "I'll  learn  you  how  you  talk  about  my  man."  He 
begged  for  mercy,  and  Frank  persuaded  Wi-ne-ma  to  de- 
sist. Wi-ne-ma  brought  a  basin  of  water  and  bathed  the 
battered  face  of  the  Yank  while  she  preached  a  short  ser- 

207 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

mon  on  slandering  his  neighbors,  finally  asking  him  to  stay 
for  dinner,  which  invitation  the  Yank  accepted,  and  the 
whole  matter  was  amicably  adjusted  by  him  receiving  the 
assurance  that  the  story  of  his  whipping  should  not  be  told 
of  him.  When  he  met  his  friends  he  claimed  to  have  been 
dragged  by  his  horse  through  the  sage-brush  for  a  half 
mile,  and  his  face  and  clothing  supported  the  lie.  That  man 
is  now  one  of  the  best  friends  Wi-ne-ma  and  Frank  have  on 
the  Pacific  Coast. 


Rev.  Steamboat  Frank  and  son,  and  Mrs.  Carrie  Hood  and  her 
three  sisters.  They  were  the  daughters  of  a  Modoc  brave  by  the 
name  of  Mowatuwas.  They  are  all  dead  except  Mrs.  Hood,  who 
resides  opposite  the  Joe  Cobum  ranch  near  the  Yainax. 


The  regular  visits  to  her  father's  people  continued,  and 
thus  Wi-ne-ma  became  a  teacher  and  missionary  to  her 
own  race,  giving  them  much  valuable  information  about 
the  civilization  of  the  white  man.  From  one  who  was  present 
I  learned  something  of  her  efforts  to  bring  the  Indian  up 
to  a  full  realization  of  the  necessity  for  adopting  the  white 
man's  laws  and  customs.  Said  my  informant,  'In  the  ev- 

208 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

ening  you  would  see  the  women  and  men  gather  around 
Wi-ne-ma  while  she  told  them  of  the  wonderful  things  she 
had  seen  among  the  white  people,  of  their  manners  and 
social  customs,  of  the  laws  and  rules  of  life;  of  their  way 
of  making  law;  making  machinery,  its  uses,  etc.  For  hours 
they  would  listen  while  she  talked,  and  to  her,  much  of  the 
advancement  of  the  Indians  at  Klamath  and  Yai-nax  may 
be  attributed." 

Wi-ne-ma  still  resides  at  the  Yai-nax,  Klamath  reserva- 
tion, Oregon,  near  her  children,  grand-children  and  great 
grand-children. 


209 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

BIOGRAPHY  OF  FRANK  RIDDLE  AND  SON, 
JEFF  C.  RIDDLE. 

(Extracted  from  "Wi-ne-ma  and  Her  People,"  by  A.  B.  Meacham.) 

Frank  Riddle,  the  husband  of  Wi-ne-ma,  is  a  native  of 
Kentucky.  His  parents  were  slave-holders,  and  Frank  grew 
to  fifteen  years  of  age  without  receiving  much  attention 
from  them.  Several  years  before  reaching  his  majority,  in 
Western  parlance,  Frank,  ''struck  out  for  himself."  Ar- 
riving upon  the  Pacific  Coast  in  1850,  he  first  sought  em- 
ployment in  Sacramento  City,  and  subsequently  drifted  to 
the  mines  of  Northern  California.  His  life  has  been  a  coun- 
terpart of  thousands  who  sought  fortune  at  the  point  of  the 
pick  and  shovel  and  the  "Tail  of  the  Long  Tom  sluice-box." 
Many  thrilling  episodes  he  had  passed  before  we  find  him 
surrendering  to  the  bright  eyes  of  the  Modoc  maiden.  This 
struggle  against  his  destiny  was  brief,  and  as  we  have 
shown  on  a  former  page,  he  surrendered  to  this  Modoc,  and 
was  married  under  the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  her  people. 
During  his  sojourn  upon  the  Western  coast,  he  has  killed 
seven  hundred  and  forty- three  deer  and  elk,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-two  bears  of  various  species. 

During  the  efforts  for  peace  with  the  Modoc  Indians,  in 
1873,  Mr.  Riddle  was  employed  as  an  interpreter.  His  per- 
sonal acquaintance  with  them,  and  with  the  difficulties 
existing  between  them  and  the  white  race,  made  him  the 
man  for  the  occasion.  It  is  unfortunate  that  Gen.  Canby  and 
Dr.  Thomas  should  not  have  recognized  the  real  character 
of  Mr.  Riddle,  and  appreciate,  as  I  did,  his  integrity  and 
good  common  sense.  It  would  have  saved  many  lives  and 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars. 

I  have  never  heard  an  intimation  that  Frank  Riddle  ever 
"went  back"  on  a  friend  or  his  own  word,  while  his  generous 
nature  prompting  to  give,  has  kept  him  impoverished  all 
his  life.  Mr.  Riddle,  appreciating  the  benefit  this  extensive 
travel  would  be  to  his  wife  and  boy,  consented  to  join  my 
company  on  my  promise  to  "do  right  by  him  and  return 
him  and  his  family  to  Yreka."  I  have  found  him  a  reliable 
man  and  a  true  friend,  even  in  the  darkest  hour.  He  won 

210 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


the  confidence  and  respect  of  those  whom  he  had  met  on 
our  tour ;  always  an  affable,  plain  Western  man,  full  of  in- 
teresting reminiscences  of  frontier  life,  he  had  always  been 
well  received  and  kindly  treated  by  the  friends  of  the  In- 
dian elsewhere.  He  is  not  ashamed  to  manifest  his  pride 
in  his  Indian  wife  and  half-breed  boy. 

"Charka"  (the  handsome  boy),  alias  Jeff  C.  Riddle,  son 
of  Frank  and  Wi-ne-ma,  was  born  in  1863,  at  Yreka,  Cal- 
ifornia. He  is  a  remark- 
able boy,  early  evincing 
a  fair  amalgamation  of 
Kentucky  frankness  and 
Modoc  courage ;  while  he 
has  been  much  with  boys 
of  his  age  in  Yreka,  he 
has  also  spent  a  larger 
proportion  of  his  young 
life  in  the  "latches" 
(wigwams)  of  his 
grandfather  at  Yai-nax, 
is  expert  with  bow  and 
arrow,  already  a  close 
shot  with  a  rifle  (accus- 
tomed to  the  saddle 
from  infancy,  going  of- 
ten with  his  father  and 
sometimes  with  his 
mother's  people  upon  the 
big  hunts),  he  has  had 
rather  a  thrilling  exper- 
ience for  one  so  young. 
Inheriting  enough  of  his 
mother's  Indian  stoicism 


Wi-ne-ma  Tobey  Riddle,  the  Author's 
mother.    Taken  in  New  York,  1875. 


he  is  never  surprised,  travels  ov- 
er the  largest  cities  on  errands,  coming  home  by  instinct, 
never  lost,  always  pleasant  and  mannerly,  but  equally  ready 
to  resent  insult,  he  has  won  his  way  rapidly  to  the  friend- 
ship of  those  who  know  him.  With  his  Indian  habits  of  ob- 
servation and  faculty  of  retention,  he  is  storing  his  mind 


211 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

with  much  useful  information  and  themes  for  story  when 
he  again  springs  from  his  saddle  into  the  outstretched  arms 
of  his  illustrious  old  Indian  grandfather. 

One  episode  of  the  boy's  life  would  find  a  place  in  the 
stirring  scenes  of  the  Modoc  war.  Almost  without  a  tear 
he  parted  from  his  mother  and  father  when  they  were  leav- 
ing camp  on  the  fatal  day  on  which  Gen.  Canby  was  killed, 
although  he  was  but  ten  years  of  age,  saying  to  them,  "If 
the  Modocs  kill  you,  I  will  avenge  you  if  it  takes  a  life- 
time." Taking  his  father's  revolver  and  field-glass,  he 
climbed  partly  up  the  bluff  commanding  a  view  of  the  peace 
tent  where  the  ill-starred  council  was  held.  When  the  first 
puff  of  smoke  rose  above  the  council,  Charka  shouted  to 
the  soldiers  below  him,  *'The  Modocs  are  killing  the  Com- 
missioners," then  dropping  his  glass,  he  started  for  the 
scene  of  blood  in  advance  of  the  reserve  which  had  been 
ordered  out.  Meeting  his  father,  he  demanded  to  know 
whether  his  mother  had  been  killed,  vowing  vengeance 
meanwhile.  It  was  with  some  difficulty  he  was  persuaded 
from  going  to  the  scene  of  slaughter,  nor  was  he  appeased 
until  she  appeared,  coming  on  her  horse. 

BY  Jeff  C.  Riddle. 

My  father,  T.  F.  Riddle,  was  born  in  Kentucky,  September 
6,  1832.  He  came  West  in  1850,  and  he  was  all  through  Cal- 
ifornia. During  the  gold  excitement  he  took  part  in  three 
or  four  Indian  wars. 

He  married  Tobey  or  Wi-ne-ma  in  1862.  Working  at  dif- 
ferent things,  such  as  mining,  farming  and  stock-raising, 
he  made  plenty  of  money  in  all  his  undertakings,  but  was 
always  unlucky.  He  would  have  bad  luck  and  lose  all  his 
money. 

I  was  born  November  30,  1863.  I  spent  most  of  my  life 
on  farms.  I  did  not  go  to  school.  Father  was  usually  quite 
a  distance  from  any  school.  I  have  only  had  six  weeks 
schooling  in  my  life.  I  went  three  weeks  at  Hawkinsville, 
California,  and  three  weeks  in  New  York  City  in  1876.  I 
have  been  in  nearly  all  the  principal  cities  in  the  United. 

212 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

States.  I  learnt  more  in  my  travels  than  I  did  at  any  other 
time.  I  have  met  some  noted  men  in  my  time,  such  as 
Wendell  Phillips,  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Brigadier  General 
Forney,  U.  S.  A.  retired,  J.  C.  Ridpath,  General  U.  S.  Grant 
and  many  others.  The  warmest  friends  I  have  today  are 
among  the  white  people. 

I  am  very  sorry  that  my  education  was  neglected.  If  I 
had  even  a  fair  education,  I  might  have  been  of  some  benefit 
to  my  people,  but  as  it  is  I  am  unable  to  be  of  much  help 
to  them.  Perhaps  if  Colonel  A.  B.  Meacham  had  not  toured 
the  United  States  in  1876,  I  would  not  have  undertaken  to 
write  the  history  of  the  Modoc  War  of  1872  and  '73.  So  I 
said  in  the  fore  part  of  this  writing.  I  learnt  to  read  and 
write  while  I  was  with  Mr.  Meacham  in  1876. 

Father  and  mother,  I  and  several  other  Indians  was  with 
Mr.  Meacham,  also  another  man  who  is  a  man  among  men. 
That  is  Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate,  who  now  resides  at  Klamath 
Falls,  Oregon.  The  Indian  race  never  had  a  better  friend 
than  Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate.  If  I  did  not  know  this  to  be 
a  fact,  I  would  not  mention  it.  I  am  sorry  to  offer  to  the 
public  a  book  that  is  not  written  or  worded  right,  but  my 
lack  of  education  would  not  allow  me  to  do  better.  I  have 
tried  to  give  plain  facts  in  my  writing.  I  think  it  is  better 
to  give  the  truth  in  common  plain  language  than  to  write 
a  whole  lot  of  lies  in  nice  flowery  words.  I  have  read  sev- 
eral works  on  the  Modoc  War  by  different  authors.  I'm 
sorry  to  say  they  was  written  by  men  who  wanted  to  be 
looked  upon  by  the  public  as  real  heroes. 

I  am  now  fifty  years  old.  I  married  the  daughter  of  Chief 
Schonchin,  brother  to  John  Schonchin,  who  was  hung  at 
Fort  Klamath.  I  live  on  the  Klamath  Indian  reservation. 
I  raise  a  few  cattle  and  horses.  I  have  five  children  living. 
My  mother,  Tobey  or  Winema  Riddle,  is  alive  yet  and  she 
gets  a  government  pension  (thanks  to  the  late  Senator 
Hearst,  who  introduced  the  bill  in  Congress)  of  $25.00  per 
month.    My  father  is  dead. 

Jeff  C.  Riddle. 


213 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

DEATH  OF  FRANK  RIDDLE 

Romantic  Life  of  the  Daring  Frontiersman^  Formerly  of 

Yreka,  California,  Husband  of  Wi-ne-ma. 

(From  the  "Klamath  Falls  Express.") 

Frank  Riddle — this  well  known  frontiersman  and  pioneer, 
died  at  his  home  near  Yainax,  Oregon,  at  7:30  A.  M.  on 
February  21,  1906,  at  quite  an  advanced  age.  Although  his 
health  had  been  rather  poor  for  some  months  past,  the  ill- 
ness which  resulted  in  his  death  was  only  of  three  days' 
duration.  To  old-timers  especially  was  Frank  Riddle  well 
known,  and  they  also  know  of  the  prominent  part  he  took 
in  the  trying  days  incident  to  the  early  settlement  of  the 
Klamath  country.  This  the  late  settlers  do  not  know,  and 
I  think  it  may  be  fair  at  this  time  to  briefly  refer  to  the 
story  of  his  life. 

With  other  gold-seeking  adventurers,  he  came  to  Cali- 
fornia in  1850.  September  of  that  year  he  arrived  in  Shas- 
ta county,  where  he  spent  some  years  in  mining.  In  1856 
he  came  to  Yreka  and  followed  mining  about  that  place  and 
Hawkinsville,  with  varying  success,  until  1862,  when  he 
changed  his  occupation  into  farming  and  stock-raising  and 
settled  at  a  point  twenty  miles  east  of  Yreka  on  Bogus 
Creek.  This  place,  which  is  now  known  as  Bloomingcamp 
Ranch,  Mr.  Riddle  sold  to  David  Horn  in  1868,  and  went 
farther  into  the  interior.  He  was  fond  of  hunting  and 
trapping,  and  was  an  expert  in  the  intricacies  of  woodcraft. 
The  winter  of  1868-9  he  spent  in  trapping  at  the  Upper 
Gap  on  Lost  River.  Thus  early  he  invaded  the  then  wild  Mo- 
doc country,  which  had  already  been  the  theatre  of  many 
bloody  encounters  between  the  races. 

Wi-ne-ma,  a  bright  and  courageous  Modoc  girl,  a  cousin 
to  Kientpoos  or  Captain  Jack,  who  was  afterwards  famous 
as  the  leader  of  the  Modoc  rebellion  of  1872-3,  had  become 
his  companion,  and  together  they  spent  most  of  their  time 
in  the  lake  country,  largely  with  or  in  the  vicinity  of  her 
people,  the  Modocs.  Before  the  Modoc  outbreak,  which  oc- 
curred on  the  morning  of  November  29,  1872,  at  the  stone 

214 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

bridge  on  Lost  River,  some  two  miles  or  so  below  where 
the  town  of  Merrill  has  since  been  located,  Frank  and 
Wi-ne-ma,  who  had  loyally  cast  their  fortunes  with  old 
Chief  Schonchin  in  favor  of  peace,  did  all  they  were  able 
to  do  to  prevent  the  insurrection  of  Captain  Jack. 

After  the  war  came,  their  efforts  were  faithfully  con- 
tinued to  uphold  the  authority  of  the  goyernment  and  to 
maintain  the  influence  with  his  people  of  old  Chief  Schon- 
chin, who  was  as  firm  as  a  rock  in  his  adherence  to  the 
treaty  of  1864.  Wi-ne-ma's  own  brother,  Charley  Riddle,  a 
sub-chief  of  the  Modocs,  was  a  strong  supporter  of  the  old 
chief  as  long  as  he  lived. 

Were  it  in  order  to  do  so,  I  could  detail  at  greater  length 
the  story  of  those  tragic  days,  illustrating  the  struggles  of 
the  early  days,  when  through  trials,  dangers  and  privations 
our  beautiful  lake  country  was  won  for  peace,  development 
and  civilization,  so  that  all  might  see  that  lessons  of  loyalty 
and  self-sacrifice  and  heroic  devotion  to  law  and  govern- 
ment can  be  learned  from  the  humble  frontiersmen  who 
have  helped  to  open  and  subdue  the  wilderness. 

Such  a  frontiersman  was  Frank  Riddle.  Though  his  life 
was  humble  and  his  sphere  limited,  he  lived  an  honest, 
temperate  life,  was  kind  and  true  to  his  family  and  friends, 
and  did  good  work  for  all  in  the  darkest  days  that  ever 
came  to  the  Klamath  country. 

The  foregoing  sketch  I  have  written  by  request  of  Jeffer- 
son C.  Riddle,  the  only  son  and  child  of  Frank  and  Wi-ne- 
ma,  whose  devotion  to  his  parents  has  always  been  well 
known,  and  who  can  always  be  trusted  to  kindly  care  for 
his  old  mother,  whose  home  is  so  desolate  now  since  the 
loss  of  her  companion  of  a  life  time. 

*It  is  good  to  know  that  our  government,  in  appreciation 
of  Wi-ne-ma's  valuable  services  during  the  Modoc  War, 
granted  her  a  pension  of  $25.00  a  month  for  life,  and  this 

*At  the  same  time  it  may  be  noted  that  the  payment  of  the  pension  did 
not  begin  until  the  year  1890,  or  seventeen  years  after  the  war.  A  proper 
appreciation  of  the  services  rendered  by  Wi-ne-ma  would  have  suggest- 
ed the  propriety  of  paying  the  pension  from  the  time  when  those  services 
were  rendered. 

215 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

has  largely  contributed  to  the  support  of  these  people  for 
several  years.  Pure  blood  Modoc  though  she  is,  Wi-ne-ma 
Riddle  is  a  heroine  who  should  be  as  well  known  in  Amer- 
ican history  as  Pocohontas  or  Sacajawea,  and  her  fame 
will  grow  brighter  with  the  years. 

O.  C.  Applegate. 
Eugene,  Oregon,  March  12,  1906. 


Another  view  of  the  Warm  Spring  Scout,  Loa-Kum  Ar-nuk. 


216 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 
BIOGRAPHY  OF  GENERAL  E.  R.  S.  CANBY. 

(Copied  from  the  military  records  and  other  sources.) 

Edward  Richard  Sprigg  Canby,  soldier,  was  born  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1817.  Son  of  I.  T.  Canby,  who  was  afterwards  in 


Gen.  E.  R.  S.  Canby,  U.  S.  A.,  killed  April  11,  1873  in  the 
Lava  Beds,  by  Capt,  Jack.  From  the  collection  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institute. 


1828  an  unsuccessful  candidate  for  Governor  of  the  State  of 
Indiana.  His  parents  removed  to  Indiana  when  he  was  a 
mere  lad,  and  his  school  life  was  spent  in  that  state. 

In  1835  he  was  appointed  cadet  at  the  United  States  Mili- 

217 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

tary  Academy  and  was  graduated  in  the  class  of  1839.  He 
numbered  among  his  classmates  Halleck,  Stephens,  Ord  and 
other  officers  who  distinguished  themselves  in  the  Civil 
War.  He  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant  and  assigned 
to  the  Second  Infantry,  from  October,  1839,  to  the  end  of 
the  Florida  War,  in  1842.  He  served  in  the  field  as  quar- 
termaster and  commissary  of  subsistence.  He  was  then 
detailed  to  assist  in  removing  the  conquered  Indians  to  the 
reserve  set  apart  for  them  and  afterwards  known  as  the 
Indian  Territory.  He  was  on  garrison  and  recruiting  duty 
until  1846,  when  he  was  appointed  adjutant  of  his  regiment 
and  June,  1846,  was  promoted  first  lieutenant  in  the  Mex- 
ican War.  In  the  Mexican  War  Lieutenant  Canby  served 
under  General  Ryley  and  took  part  in  the  siege  of  Vera 
Cruz  and  was  in  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gardo  Contreres  and 
Churubusco.  In  the  final  capitulation  of  the  City  of  Mex- 
ico he  was  with  the  storming  party  that  made  the  attack 
on  the  Belengate.  For  his  service  in  this  war  he  was  brev- 
etted  major  and  lieutenant  colonel,  and  in  June,  1851,  was 
promoted  captain  in  the  line,  not  wishing  to  relinquish  his 
position  as  assistant  adjutant  general,  with  the  rank  of 
lieutenant  colonel  in  the  adjutant  general's  department,  he 
did  not  accept  the  captaincy. 

In  1855  he  was  made  major  of  the  Tenth  U.  S.  Infantry, 
and  with  the  regiment  did  frontier  duty  for  three  years. 
When  the  Utah  trouble  in  1858  directed  the  army  to  that 
territory  he  was  ordered  to  Fort  Bridger  and  his  command 
there  included  portions  of  the  Second  Dragoon  and  Seventh 
and  Tenth  U.  S.  Infantry.  This  post  was  held  by  Major 
Canby  until  1863,  when  he  commanded  the  expedition 
against  the  Navajo  Indians,  and  was  at  Fort  Defiance,  New 
Mexico,  when  the  Civil  War  caused  the  resignation  of  many 
of  the  officers  of  the  army.  Major  Canby  was  in  1861  made 
general  of  the  Nineteenth  Regiment  and  acting  brigadier 
general  of  the  U.  S.  forces  in  New  Mexico.  He  succeeded 
in  driving  the  Confederate  troops  under  General  Sibley  from 
the  Territory,  after  inflicting  on  the  Confederate  forces  a 
loss  of  one-half  of  their  men  in  killed  and  wounded  and 

218 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

prisoners.  On  March  31st,  1862,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier  general  of  volunteers  and  was  ordered 
to  transfer  the  command  of  the  New  Mexico  troops  and 
report  to  the  Secretary  of  War  at  Washington,  where  he 
rendered  valuable  assistance  to  Mr.  Stanton  during  the 
draft  riots  in  New  York  City,  July,  1863.  He  commanded 
the  U.  S.  troops  and  to  his  presence  and  resolute  measures 
was  largely  due  the  suppression  of  the  rioters. 

In  November,  1863,  he  resumed  his  duties  in  the  War 
Department.  When  the  campaign  of  1864  was  laid  out, 
General  Canby  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major  general 
of  volunteers  and  placed  in  command  of  the  military  divis- 
ion of  West  Mississippi,  where  he  took  charge  of  General 
Bank's  retreating  army  and  conducted  them  safely  to  New 
Orleans,  where,  for  want  of  troops,  he  remained  inactive 
until  1864,  when  he  made  reconnaissance  on  White  River, 
Arkansas,  and  was  severely  wounded  by  Confederate  guer- 
illas. He  was  soon  after  reinforced  and  with  an  army  of 
25,000  men  proceeded  against  Mobile,  and  with  the  aid  of 
the  Naval  fleet  captured  that  city  April  the  12th,  1865. 

General  Richard  Taylor  surrendered  his  army  to  General 
Canby  on  receiving  the  news  of  the  surrender  of  General 
Lee,  and  the  war  in  the  southwest  was  over.  On  March 
13th,  1865,  General  Canby  received  the  brevets  of  brigadier 
and  major  general  of  the  regular  army.  In  1866  he  was 
transferred  to  Washington  and  received,  on  July  28th,  1866, 
full  rank  of  brigadier  general  in  the  regular  army.  General 
Canby  had  in  1866  command  of  the  districts  around  the 
late  Confederacy,  and  allowed  the  Confederate  cavalry,  be- 
fore finally  disbanding,  to  reorganize  to  suppress  bush- 
whacking and  his  venture  was  fully  justified  in  its  good 
results.  He  was  subsequently  a  member  of  special  com- 
mission to  decide  claims  on  the  War  Department.  He  was 
on  the  board  that  determined  the  plans  for  the  new  building 
for  the  War  and  Navy  Department.  In  1869  he  voluntarily 
consented  to  take  comand  of  the  Department  of  the  Colum- 
bia, in  which  he  had  the  oversight  of  the  Indian  tribes  of 
the  Northwest.     In  1872-73  he  went  into  the  field  to  en- 

219 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

deavor  to  bring  the  Modocs  to  accept  the  terms  offered 
them  by  the  government,  in  arranging  a  permanent  peace. 
His  views  and  intentions  were  on  the  side  of  mercy  rather 
than  justice  and  in  a  letter  to  the  Department  at  Washing- 
ton but  four  days  before  his  death  he  outlined  a  policy  that 
but  for  the  treachery  of  the  Indian  leaders  would  have  pre- 
vented a  long  and  sanguinary  war  on  April  11th,  1873.  He, 
in  company  with  two  other  officers,  met  Captain  Jack,  the 
leader  of  the  Modocs,  on  mutual  ground,  who  arranged  for 
a  treaty  of  peace.     At  a  prearranged  signal  the  Indians 


Canby  Cross,  in  the  Lava  Beds,  where  Gen.  Canby  and  the 
Rev.  E.  Thomas  were  killed.  In  the  picture  are  Capt.  O.  C.  Ap- 
plegate,  and  also  Judge  Geo.  H.  Burnett,  of  Salem,  Ore.,  Attor- 
ney J.  C.  Rutenic  and  Attorney  F.  R.  Mills  of  Klamath  Falls, 
Ore.,  standing  around  the  Cross.  This  photo  taken  by  Ray  Tel- 
ford in  1908. 

killed  all  the  Commissioners  before  the  escort  could  afford 
protection  and  the  Indians  escaped  to  the  Lava  Beds,  which 
constituted  the  stronghold.  Subsequently  Captain  Jack 
and  three  of  his  subordinates  were  captured  and  executed. 
The  place  of  General  Canby's  assassination  was  the  Lava 
Beds,  Siskiyou  County,  California,  April  11th,  1873.     He 

221 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

was  tall  and  soldierly  in  appearance,  with  a  benevolent 
countenance.  He  had  very  little  money  saved  at  the  time 
of  his  death  and  a  few  citizens  of  Portland  gave  $5,000  to 
his  widow.  It  is  stated  that  a  brother  was  stricken  with 
sudden  insanity  on  hearing  of  his  death.  He  was  tempor- 
arily buried  in  the  Lava  Beds  and  later  taken  East  and 
buried  at  the  Crown  Hill  Cemetery,  Indianapolis,  Ind.* 


^^\^ 


^.^-^^g^ 


.:m 


5^  'f0^  'I 

«»    V    'hi. 


Panorama   of  the  Lava  Beds,  from  the  U.   S.   Signal 
Station  which  lies  to  the  north  of  Gen.  Gillem's  camp. 


*In  1874,  by  order  of  the  War  Department  and  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
Assistant  Adjutant  General,  H.  Clay  Wood,  the  Military  Fort  at  Capt. 
Hancock,  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River,  Oregon,  was 
named  Fort  Canby  and  the  official  name  was  to  be  used  hereafter  by 
the  Unitpd  States  Army. 


222 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 
BIOGRAPHY  OF  REV.  E.  THOMAS 

(Contributed  by  his  daughter,  Mary  Thomas  Jarboe) 


DuCTou 


Doctor  Eleazer  Thomas,  D.  D.  Killed  by  Boston  Charley. 
Buried  at  Lone  Mountain  Masonic  Cemetery,  and  then  re- 
moved in  1910  to  the  new  Masonic  Cemetery  at  Woodlawn, 
near  San  Francisco,  California.  Left  a  widow  and  three  chil- 
dren to  mourn  his  loss. 


My  father,  Rev.  E.  Thomas,  was  born  at  Chatham  Four 
Corners  in  the  State  of  New  York,  on  January  16th,  1814. 
He  was  descended  from  many  of  the  first  Puritan  settlers 


223 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

of  the  country,  and  inherited  the  strong  characteristics  of 
those  people. 

When  about  seventeen  years  old  he  went  West  as  far  as 
Western  New  York,  and  having  become  a  Methodist,  he 
very  early  in  his  manhood  went  to  Lima  Academy  to  pre- 
pare himself  for  the  Methodist  University. 

For  some  years,  until  he  was  forty-one  years  old,  he  was 
an  active  and  very  useful  member  of  the  "Genessee  Metho- 
dist Conference,"  and  was  then  transferred  to  California. 
His  first  appointment  in  California  was  the  Powell  Street 
Church  in  San  Francisco. 

He  soon  found  that  there  was  a  great  lack  of  church 
books  and  of  everything  relating  to  the  work  in  that  line, 
and  immediately  went  to  work  to  supply  the  want. 

He  became  editor  of  the  California  Christian  Advocate 
(1856-1865),  and  while  performing  the  duties  of  that  po- 
sition he  traveled  from  one  end  of  the  State  to  the  other, 
not  once,  but  many  times,  carrying  with  him  always  his 
message  of  the  love  of  God,  and  striving  to  bring  about 
the  establishment  in  San  Francisco  of  a  branch  of  the 
Methodist  Publishing  Society. 

This  was  at  last  accomplished  to  his  great  joy,  and  it 
was  to  his  efforts  that  the  ministers  of  that  church  owed 
the  facility  with  which  they  were  enabled  to  get  the  books 
for  their  own  use,  and  for  their  Sunday  Schools. 

During  these  travels  of  which  I  have  spoken  he  naturally 
became  much  interested  in  all  questions  relating  to  our 
Indian  population,  and  so,  when  word  was  received  by  him 
from  Washington  that  he  had  been  appointed  one  of  the 
Peace  Commission  to  the  Modoc  Indians,  he  received  the 
summons  with  joy  and  hastened  to  join  General  Canby  and 
the  others. 

I  need  not  speak  of  what  followed,  only  to  say  he  gave 
his  life  rather  than  break  his  word  to  the  Indians,  and  thus 
by  a  grand  and  heroic  death  ended  in  this  world  a  beautiful 
life,  and  passed  on  to  that  in  which  he  has  secured  the 
reward  promised  to  those  who  are  faithful  to  the  end. 

Mary  Thomas  Jarboe.. 

224 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


Plot  where  lies  the  remains  of  Rev.  E.  Thomas. 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  LEROY  S.  DYAR 

Leroy  S.  Dyar  was  born  in  Phillips,  Franklin  County, 
Maine,  December  20,  1833.  He  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  Farmington,  and  for  a  time  attended  Kent's  Hill  Sem- 
inary. 

In  1858  he  came  to  California,  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  and  for  a  year  was  engaged  in  mining  on  the  Yuba 
River,  going  from  there  to  Salem,  Oregon. 

Here  he  re- 
sided for  twelve 
years,  being  oc- 
cupied in  var- 
ious lines  of 
business,  serv- 
ing four  years 
as  Postmaster, 
and  was  for 
some  time  sec- 
retary of  the 
Board  of  Trus- 
tees of  Willam- 
ette University, 
in  which  insti- 
tution he  also 
taught  for  a 
time. 

In  1871  he 
was  appointed 
Supt.  of  Instruc- 
tion on  the  Yak- 
ima Indian  res- 
ervation, Wash- 
ington, and  the 
year  following 
was  made  Indian  Agent,  in  charge  of  the  Grand  Ronde 
reservation  in  Western  Oregon,  being  transferred  a  few 
months  later  to  the  charge  of  Klamath  Agency  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  state. 


Hon.  Leroy  S.  Dyar,  U.  S.  Indian  Agent  and  mem- 
ber of  the  U.  S.  Peace  Commission,  April  11,  1873. 


226 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

The  Modocs  were  already  in  open  rebellion  at  this  time, 
and  during  the  months  of  anxiety  that  followed,  strength 
both  of  mind  and  body  were  taxed  to  the  utmost  in  dealing 
with  the  problems  that  were  constantly  to  be  met.  At  last 
in  April,  1873,  he  was  appointed  by  the  government  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Peace  Commission,  to  meet  the  hostiles  and  at- 
tempt a  settlement  of  the  troubles  that  were  causing  the 
war,  and  went  to  the  front  to  perform  this  duty. 

Both  he  and  Mr.  Meacham  were  entirely  convinced,  from 
all  indications,  that  the  Indians  meant  treachery.  Tobey's 
assurances  adding  weight  to  the  convictions;  but  as  Gen- 
eral Canby  and  Dr.  Thomas  ignored  all  signs  of  danger 
and  insisted  that  the  meeting  should  take  place,  there  was 
no  other  alternative.  On  the  way  out  to  the  council  tent 
on  the  fatal  morning  Mr.  Dyar  and  Mr.  Meacham  talked 
over  the  situation  and  agreed  that  should  they  be  attacked 
the  only  chance  lay  in  running. 

When  the  firing  began  both  men  tried  to  carry  out  the 
plan  agreed  upon.  Mr.  Meacham  stumbled  and  fell  among 
the  rocks  and  was  overtaken,  but  Mr.  Dyar,  through  a 
combination  of  favoring  circumstances,  was  able  to  run 
in  such  a  way  as  to  escape  the  bullets  of  the  two  Indians 
who  pursued  him  and,  unhurt,  finally  reached  the  picket 
lines  and  safety. 

After  five  years  Mr.  Dyar  retired  from  the  government 
service  and  purchased  a  farm  on  the  shores  of  Klamath 
Lake,  where  he  remained  till  ill  health  caused  him  to  re- 
move with  his  family  to  Southern  California  in  1884. 

He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  thriving  town  of  On- 
tario, San  Bernardino  County,  in  the  heart  of  the  orange 
belt,  and  has  always  been  interested  in  and  identified  with 
its  growth,  serving  as  director  of  the  Fruit  Exchange, 
member  of  the  County  Board  of  Horticultural  Commission- 
ers, president  of  the  Ontario  Power  Company,  and  for  many 
years  as  president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Chaffey 
College,  and  a  trustee  of  the  First  Methodist  Church.  He 
still  resides  in  Ontario,  California. 


227 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  JOHN  A.  FAIRCHILD 
All  that  was  mortal  of  the  late  John  A.  Fairchild,  Cor- 
oner and  Public  Administrator  of  Siskiyou  County,  was 
laid  to  rest  in  Evergree  Cemetery  yesterday  afternoon.  The 
funeral  took  place  from  the  Masonic  Hall  and  was  very 
largely  attended.  Deceased  had  for  many  years  been  an 
honored  member  of  Howard  Lodge,  No.  96,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and 
he  was  buried  un- 
der the  auspices 
of  that  order.  Rev. 
J.  E.  Wright  spoke 
eloquently  and  im- 
pressively, the  mu- 
sic was  fine,  the 
floral  offerings, 
the  large  atten- 
dance and  the  ev- 
idences of  deep  re- 
gret on  every  face, 
were  tributes  to  a 
prominent  citizen, 
a  loving  husband, 
a  n  affectionate 
father,  a  loyal  and 
generous  brother 
and  an  honorable 
and  upright  man, 
whose  life  had 
helped     to     make  J^^g^  J-  ^-  Fairchild. 

history  in  Siskiyou  County.  Past  Master  F.  E.  Wadsworth, 
of  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  37,  read  the  Masonic  service.  The 
following  officiated  as  pall-bearers:  W.  T.  Laird,  I.  S. 
Mathews,  H.  B.  Gillis,  A.  E.  Raynes,  Austin  Hawkins  and 
B.  F.  Smith. 

John  A.  Fairchild  was  born  at  Raymond,  Hines  County, 
Mississippi,  January  23rd,  1828.  When  but  a  small  boy  his 
father,  who  was  a  commission  merchant,  died,  leaving  a 
large  family,  of  which  he  was  the  last  survivor.  His  early 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

education  was  limited,  he  having  only  attended  the  public 
schools,  which  were  very  poor  and  at  the  last  moment, 
after  getting  ready  to  go  to  a  boarding  school  at  Vicks- 
burg,  his  mother  broke  down  and  would  not  part  with  him. 
When  a  mere  boy  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  his  uncle's 
large  plantation,  overseeing  negroes  and  managing  large 
interests  which  well  fitted  him  for  the  position  he  after- 
wards occupied  in  life.  When  the  gold  excitement  broke  out 
in  California,  he  was  among  the  first  to  leave  and  joined  a 
company  of  Mississippi  and  Texas  rangers,  coming  by  way 
of  Old  Mexico.  While  en  route  the  company  had  many  en- 
counters with  Indians  and  several  of  the  company  were 
thus  killed.  Mr.  Fairchild  arrived  in  San  Francisco  in 
August,  1849.  He  first  went  to  mining  in  Calaveras  County, 
where  he  became  acquainted  with  I.  S.  Mathews,  with 
whom  he  afterwards  formed  a  partnership  in  Humboldt 
County,  along  in  the  50's  which  continued  for  twenty  years. 
He  first  came  to  this  country  in  1852,  and  after  mining  on 
the  Salmon  River  went  into  the  butchering  business.  In 
those  days  very  few  cattle  were  raised  in  this  county  and 
he  and  Mathews  made  a  great  deal  of  money  by  buying 
cattle  and  hogs  in  the  Rogue  River  country  and  driving 
them  over  to  the  mining  settlements  and  retailing  the  meat 
at  good  prices.  In  1865  Mr.  Fairchild  moved  his  stock  over 
into  Butte  Creek  Valley,  and  with  the  Doten  brothers,  Cy 
and  John,  established  the  6  Camp,  where  they  had  unlimited 
range,  the  only  drawback  being  the  Modoc  Indians.  Fair- 
child  soon  found  it  was  cheaper  to  pay  the  Indians  than  to 
fight  them  and  sent  for  Captain  Jack  and  his  followers  to 
make  a  treaty.  Coming  into  camp  one  evening  he  saw  a 
young  buck  Indian  sitting  on  his  bed  and  he  promptly 
booted  him  out  of  the  house.  Imagine  his  surprise  on  find- 
ing this  was  the  young  chief,  afterwards  known  as  Captain 
Jack,  a  name  given  him  by  the  late  Judge  Steele,  from  his 
resemblance  to  a  miner  at  Hawkinsville,  California.  It  took 
considerable  apologizing  to  avert  an  Indian  uprising,  and 
when  Jack  found  it  was  a  mistake,  it  inspired  a  respect 
which  ever  after  made  him  and  Fairchild  close  friends.  A 

229 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

treaty  was  formed  which,  with  the  payment  of  a  few  head 
of  cattle,  horses  and  provisions,  Fairchild  and  Doten  were 
granted  leave  to  run  their  stock  unmolested  on  all  the 
country  south  and  west  of  the  mountains  bordering  on 
Klamath  Lake.  The  firm  prospered  until  they  got  into  lit- 
igation among  themselves,  which  practically  broke  them 
all.  On  the  dissolution  of  the  partnership,  the  Dotens  took 
the  6  Camp  and  the  present  Meiss  ranch  and  Fairchild  set- 
tled on  Cottonwood  Creek,  southwest  of  Klamath  Lake,  now 
known  as  the  Fairchild  ranch. 

Mr.  Fairchild  was  always  a  strong  Democrat  and  a  sym- 
pathizer of  the  South,  during  the  Rebellion.  His  outspoken 
remarks  during  those  troublous  times  caused  a  warrant  to 
be  issued  for  his  arrest,  which  was  withheld  by  a  cousin 
who  was  commander  of  the  military  forces  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, who  notified  Mr.  Fairchild  to  be  more  circumspect. 
On  February  1st,  1866,  he  was  married  to  Mary  DeWitt, 
the  fruits  of  the  union  being  ten  children,  eight  boys  and 
two  girls,  seven  of  whom,  with  his  widow,  survive  him. 

In  1867  Mr.  Fairchild  was  elected  to  the  legislature.  When 
the  Modoc  War  broke  out  he  assisted  iii  forming  a  company 
of  California  volunteers  and  was  elected  captain.  He  and 
his  company  were  in  all  the  engagements  and  did  much 
fighting  towards  bringing  the  war  to  a  close.  In  fact,  when 
Captain  Jack  finally  was  surrounded  he  would  not  give  up 
his  gun  to  anyone  but  Captain  Fairchild.  The  first  and 
about  the  only  words  Jack  uttered  were,  "When  are  they 
going  to  kill  me?" 

Mr.  Fairchild  made  and  lost  several  fortunes,  and  was 
well  known  and  liked  all  over  Northern  California. 

For  the  past  few  years  Mr.  Fairchild  has  had  stomach 
trouble,  and  when  his  daughter,  Julia  C.  Quinne,  died  in 
April,  he  remarked  that  he  would  soon  follow.  He  was 
taken  to  his  bed  on  Decoration  Day  and  gradually  grew 
weaker  until  he  peacefully  passed  away,  Monday  morning, 
June  22, 1903,  at  a  quarter  past  midnight. 

230 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

He  was  first  elected  Coroner  and  Public  Administrator 
of  Siskiyou  County  in  1898,  was  re-elected  in  1902  and  was 
holding  the  office  at  the  time  of  his  death. 


Toplash,  a  survivor  of  the  Modoc  War.  He  is  blind. 
One  of  Donald  McKay's  chief  scouts.  Now  resides 
at  The  Dalles,  Oregon. 


231 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 
BIOGRAPHY  OF  ALFRED  B.  MEACHAM 

(Extracted  from  "The  Life  of  Alfred  B.  Meacham,"  by  T.  A.  Bland.) 

Alfred     B. 

Meacham  was 
born  in  Orange 
County,  I  n  d  i- 
ana,  April  29» 
1826.  His  an- 
cestors were 
Quakers  on  one 
side  and  Meth- 
odists on  the 
other.  His  par- 
ents removed  to 
Indiana  from 
North  Carolina 
about  1818.  One 
of  the  chief  rea- 
f3ons  that  caused 
them  to  leave 
their  native 
state  was  their 
abhorrence  o  f 
slavery,  and 
their  desire  to 
raise  their  chil- 
dren under  the 
influence  of  free 
institutions.  The 
father  of  Al- 
fred,   Hon.    An- 


Colonel  A.  B.  Meacham,  Chairman  of  the 
Peace  Commission. 


derson  Meacham,  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  of  Indiana 
about  1820,  and  a  few  years  later  to  the  State  Senate,  and 
his  strong  common  sense  and  unflinching  integrity  made 
him  a  most  influential  factor  in  shaping  the  policy  of  the 
young  State.  He  was  a  farmer  by  profession,  and  he  also 
built  and  managed  a  combined  grain  and  lumber  mill.  The 
terrible  financial  panic  of  1837  crippled  his  enterprises,  and 


232 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

in  1841  he  sold  his  mill,  property,  farm,  etc.,  and  paying 
his  debts  to  the  last  dollar,  he  removed  with  his  young 
family  to  Iowa,  locating  in  the  vicinity  of  Iowa  City,  where 
he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death,  April  16,  1882,  two 
months  to  a  day  after  the  death  of  his  oldest  son,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch.  The  father  knew  naught  of  the  death 
of  his  son  Alfred  until  he  also  passed  to  the  higher  life, 
his  surviving  children  fearing  that  in  his  feeble  state  the 
sad  news  might  hasten  his  own  departure  from  their  midst. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  Alfred,  at  the  request  of  his  mother, 
signed  the  pledge  of  the  Washingtonian  Temperance  So- 
ciety, which  he  kept  in  letter  and  spirit  to  the  day  of  his 
departure  from  this  world  of  appetential  temptation.  In 
1845,  though  but  nineteen  years  old,  Alfred  assisted  in  re- 
moving the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  to  the  reservation  assigned 
them  after  the  Black  Hawk  War.  This  was  the  time  of  the 
beginning  of  his  interest  in  the  Indian,  and  his  admiration 
for  his  character.  From  about  this  time  to  1850  he  followed 
the  toilsome  business  of  breaking  prairie.  He  would  go  with 
his  team  of  eight  to  ten  stalwart  oxen  and  enormous  sod 
plow  from  place  to  place  wherever  he  could  secure  a  con- 
tract for  work,  and  many  hundreds  of  acres  of  virgin  soil 
did  he  upturn  to  the  fructifying  rays  of  the  genial  sun.  The 
money  thus  earned  was  almost  wholly  devoted  to  paying 
the  mortgage  on  his  father's  farm,  and  when  the  debt  was 
lifted,  and  his  father  and  family  secured  in  the  enjoyment 
of  a  productive  home,  Alfred  started  with  his  ox  team,  ac- 
companied by  his  brother  Harvey,  for  the  land  of  gold,  far- 
away California.  His  constitution  was  sound,  his  frame 
well-knit,  his  habits  good,  and  his  hopes  high.  The  brothers 
reached  the  mines  safely  and  were  fairly  successful,  and 
at  the  end  of  two  years  Alfred  returned  to  Iowa  for  the 
sweetheart  he  had  left  behind  him,  Miss  Orpha  Ferree.  The 
wedding  festivities  over,  the  newly-married  pair  set  out 
for  Oregon,  where  they  built  a  home  and  reared  the  chil- 
dren which  were  born  to  them  in  the  years  that  followed. 
******* 

Colonel  Meacham  received  but  a  limited  education  when 

233 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

a  boy,  but  he  was  a  reader  of  books  and  a  student  of  hu- 
man nature,  and  he  had  a  vigorous  mind  of  comprehensive 
and  quick  grasp;  hence  he  was  a  man  of  superior  intelli- 
gence and  force  in  the  arena  of  business,  law  and  politics, 
and  his  powers  of  eloquence  were  extraordinary.  In  this 
respect  he  had  perhaps  but  one  superior  in  Oregon,  Colonel 
Baker.  Descended  from  anti-slavery  stock  and  raised  a 
Whig,  it  was  but  natural  that  Colonel  Meacham  should  have 
been  an  enthusiastic  Republican  from  the  birth  of  the  party. 
He  was  not  a  seeker  of  office,  but  he  was  an  active  and 
popular  speaker,  whose  services  were  constantly  in  demand 
during  campaigns.  He  was  put  on  the  Republican  ticket  as 
candidate  for  elector  at  large  in  1868  and  again  in  1872, 
and  in  each  of  those  campaigns  he  made  a  thorough  and 
able  canvass  of  the  State.  He  was  successful  the  second 
time,  and  had  the  honor  of  representing  Oregon  in  the 
electoral  college  in  1872,  and  casting  the  vote  of  the  State 
for  President  Grant,  and  he  was  one  of,  if  not  the  first,  to 
congratulate  him  in  1869  on  his  bold  announcement  of  a 
policy  of  peace  and  justice  toward  the  Indians.  Colonel 
Meacham  and  General  Grant  had  a  long  conference  on  the 
subject  of  Indian  management,  and  at  the  close  the  Pres- 
ident tendered  him  the  responsible  position  of  Superinten- 
dent of  Indian  Affairs  for  the  State  of  Oregon.  Colonel 
Meacham  had  not  asked  for  this,  nor  for  any  other  office, 
but  he  accepted  it,  and  faithfully  discharged  the  duties  it 
involved.  He  visited  and  personally  inspected  every  agency 
in  the  State  and  did  all  in  his  power  to  purify  the  service, 
and  put  in  force  and  perfect  wise  plans  for  advancing  the 
Indians  in  arts  of  civilized  life.  Learning  that  Ki-ent-poos 
(Captain  Jack)  had  left  the  Klamath  reservation  with  his 
entire  band  of  Modocs  and  returned  to  his  former  home  on 
Lost  River,  superintendent  Meacham  visited  the  chief  in  his 
camp  at  the  peril  of  his  life,  and  after  a  council  which  lasted 
three  days,  Ki-ent-poos  said:  "I  believe  that  you  are  my 
friend,  and  I  will  do  as  you  tell  me."  The  result  was  that 
the  Modocs  returned  quietly  to  the  reservation,  and  war 
was  for  the  time  averted. 

234 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

In  the  autumn  of  1872,  after  Meacham  had  retired  from 
office,  and  gone  into  the  Presidential  campaign  as  candi- 
date for  State  elector.  Captain  Jack  left  the  reservation  a 
second  time.  Superintendent  Odneal  did  not  visit  him,  but 
sent  him  word  that  unless  he  returned  at  once  to  the  reser- 
vation, an  army  of  soldiers  would  be  sent  to  compel  his  re- 
turn. The  soldiers  followed  this  insulting  message  before 
the  Modocs  had  time  to  duly  consider  the  matter  and  de- 
cide what  they  should  do.  War  ensued,  and  although  Cap- 
tain Jack  had  but  fifty-three  fighting  men,  he  whipped  our 
army  every  time  he  was  attacked.  In  the  spring  of  1873 
the  President  sent  for  Colonel  Meacham  (he  being  in  Wash- 
ington, as  a  member  of  the  electoral  college),  and  said  to 
him:  "I  want  you  to  accept  the  chairmanship  of  a  Peace 
Commission,  and  go  out  and  tender  the  olive  branch  to 
Captain  Jack." 

Colonel  Meacham  at  first  declined,  but  the  President 
pressed  him  to  accept,  on  the  ground  that  he  had  the  con- 
fidence of  the  Modocs,  and  could,  probably  save  hundreds 
of  lives  and  millions  of  money,  and  also  save  the  Modocs 
from  extermination.  Then  he  yielded.  But  my  readers  will 
find  a  history  of  the  tragic  result  of  this  effort  of  Colonel 
Meacham's  at  peace-making,  in  his  lecture  printed  with 
this  sketch;  hence  I  need  not  repeat  it  here.  In  April  1875, 
I  went  with  a  friend  to  Cooper  Union  Hall,  to  hear  the  story 
of  the  Modoc  War  from  the  lips  of  Colonel  Meacham,  Scar- 
Face  Charley,  and  Wi-ne-ma.  But  our  personal  acquaintance 
began  in  June,  of  the  same  year,  on  Boston  Common,  where 
we  met  in  an  accidental  way,  and  were  introduced  by  our 
mutual  friend.  Dr.  Dio  Lewis.  Within  an  hour  we  were  fast 
friends,  and  a  few  months  later  he  became  an  inmate  of 
my  home  in  New  York.  He  had  written  and  published  a  book 
of  700  pages,  ''Wigwam  and  War-Path/'  besides  delivering 
many  lectures,  during  the  past  five  months,  although  still 
suffering  seriously  from  the  effect  of  the  wounds  received 
in  the  Lava  Beds.  His  nervous  system,  shattered  as  it  had 
been,  so  nearly  gave  way,  that  he  must  have  rest  and  skil- 
ful treatment,  or  he  would  die.  My  wife  and  myself,  both 

235 


Grave  of  Col.  A.  B.  Meacham.    Buried  at  the  Congregational  Cemetery,  Washington, 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

being  physicians,  as  well  as  friends,  it  was  but  natural  that 
he  should  come  to  our  home.  For  months  he  lay  on  the  bor- 
der-line that  divides  this  transient  world  of  visible  shadows 
from  that  invisible  realm  of  eternal  realities.  But  his  work 
on  earth  was  not  completed ;  he  was  not  then  to  die.  In  the 
spring  of  1876  he  was  invited  by  the  pastor  of  Hedding 
M.  E.  Church,  Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  to  visit  that  city 
and  fill  his  pulpit,  in  the  morning  or  evening,  or  both  as  he 
should  elect,  and  lecture  on  the  Indians.  He  earnestly  de- 
sired to  accept,  but  doubted  his  ability  to  stand  up  long 
enough  to  give  a  lecture,  or  speak  with  sufficient  force 
to  do  his  subject  justice.  Mrs.  Bland  and  myself,  however, 
gave  it  as  our  professional  opinion  that  he  could,  and  that 
the  brief  journey  and  pleasurable  excitement  would  prove 
beneficial  to  his  health,  and  on  our  saying,  "We  will  go 
with  you,"  he  resolved  to  go. 

*  #  *  *  *  *  * 

In  the  summer  of  1877,  we  made  a  joint  lecturing  tour 
through  the  States  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Mich- 
igan, Indiana  and  Illinois.  On  our  return  to  the  East,  about 
the  first  of  November,  Colonel  Meacham  resolved  to  com- 
mence the  publication  of  a  paper  devoted  to  his  great  theme, 
the  Indian,  his  rights  and  wrongs  and  the  advocacy  of  a 
true  Indian  policy.  In  the  pursuance  of  this  plan  he  issued 
on  the  20th  of  December,  1877,  the  first  number  of  ''The 
Council  Fire,"  bearing  date  of  January  1,  1878.  During  the 
succeeding  winter  he  visited  the  city  of  Washington  and 
gave  a  number  of  lectures,  both  in  the  leading  churches 
and  the  public  halls  of  the  city.  His  lectures  were  largely 
attended  by  members  of  Congress,  Senators,  army  officers 
and  other  public  men,  as  well  as  citizens,  and  attracted 
great  attention.  He  became  fully  convinced  that  he  ought 
to  reside  in  Washington,  and  issue  his  paper  there,  as  he 
would  thus  be  able  to  have  vastly  more  influence  on  Con- 
gress and  the  Indian  Department.  Mrs.  Bland  and  myself 
being  much  pleased  with  the  capital,  resolved  also  to  locate 
there  and  make  it  our  permanent  home.  We  were  influenced 
in  this  matter,  also,  by  our  desire  to  continue  to  furnish 

237 


THE  INDIAN  mSTORY 

our  friend,  Colonel  Meacham,  a  home  with  us,  that  we 
could  still  look  after  his  health,  and  assist  him  in  his  work. 
But  we  were  of  opinion,  also,  that  Washington  would  prove 
a  pleasant  place  of  residence,  and  as  good  a  field  as  any 

in  which  to  pursue  our  professional  and  literary  labors. 

******         * 

In  the  summer  of  1879,  the  Secretary  again  sent  him  to 
Indian  territory  to  pay  the  Indians  the  annuities  due  them. 
This  time  he  was  gone  but  six  weeks.  During  his  absence 
on  these  occasions  Mrs.  Bland  and  the  writer  had  charge  of 
his  paper.  In  the  Spring  of  1880,  the  Ute  Commission  was 
organized,  and  recognizing  his  eminent  fitness  for  the  posi- 
tion, Secretary  Schurz,  without  solicitation,  placed  Colonel 
Meacham  upon  it.  Again  leaving  his  paper  in  the  hands  of 
his  assistants,  he  left  Washington  for  the  Los  Pinos  Agency, 
Colorado,  the  home  of  the  Uncompaghre  Utes,  the  largest 
division  of  the  Ute  Nation.  On  meeting  here  and  holding  a 
preliminary  council  with  the  Indians,  the  Commission  di- 
vided, four  members  going  to  the  Southern  Ute  Agency, 
and  leaving  Commissioner  Meacham  to  manage  the  Uncom- 
paghres  alone.  He  had  about  completed  the  work  of  en- 
rolling the  Indians,  and  securing  the  number  of  signatures 
to  the  agreement  required  by  the  act  of  Congress,  when 
the  whole  country  was  thrown  into  a  frenzy  of  excitement 
by  the  wanton  murder,  by  a  drunken  white  man,  of  John- 
son, one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  young  Ute  chiefs,  and 
the  lynching  of  the  murderer,  Jackson,  by  a  party  of  In- 
dians and  white  settlers. 

Commissioner  Meacham  had  no  connection  with  the  af 
fair,  save  that  at  the  risk  of  his  life  he  urged  the  Utes  to 
let  the  law  take  its  course,  and  not  execute  summary  ven- 
geance on  Jackson.  His  efforts  were  successful  with  the 
Indians  then  present,  but  another  party  who  had  not  been 
in  the  council  took  the  prisoner  from  the  officers  who  had 
him  in  charge,  and  killed  him  by  shooting  him  in  the  same 
manner  that  he  had  killed  Chief  Johnson.  The  adventurers 
who  were  hanging  around  the  Uncompaghre  valley  (Col- 
orado) waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  get  possession  of  the 

238 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

valuable  lands  of  the  Utes,  knowing  that  Colonel  Meacham 
would  stand  by  the  legal  rights  of  the  Indians,  were  anxious 
to  get  him  off  the  Commission.  Having  little  hope  of  this 
they  now  proclaimed  throughout  that  country  the  incred- 
ibly and  infamously  false  charge  that  Colonel  Meacham  had 
conspired  with  Agent  Berry,  Captain  Cline  and  the  Utes, 
to  have  Jackson  killed.  The  object  of  this  was  to  have  Col- 
onel Meacham  and  Agent  Berry  hanged  by  a  mob  of  ruf- 
fians. The  mob  was  organized  for  this  purpose,  but  al- 
though it  comprised  perhaps  300  armed  men,  and  the  of- 
ficer in  command  of  the  military  post  declined  all  protec- 
tion, yet  the  ruffians  failed  in  the  accomplishment  of  this 
hellish  purpose,  for  the  very  good  reason  that  the  Utes 
volunteered  to  protect  their  innocent  friends,  and  their 
vigilance  overmatched  that  of  their  foes.  After  enduring 
four  weeks  of  deadly  peril  Colonel  Meacham  and  Agent 
Berry  were  escorted  by  Indian  guides  over  a  wild  and  dan- 
gerous route,  never  before  trod  by  white  men,  to  White 
River  Agency;  from  whence  they  proceeded  to  Denver. 
Colonel  Meacham  came  at  once  to  Washington,  and  held 
a  conference  with  Secretary  Schurz.  These  Utes  were  en- 
titled under  the  agreement  to  some  forty  thousand  dollars 
in  money,  and  Colonel  Meacham  had  pledged  his  word  to 
them  that  he  would  return  with  this  money  before  two 
moons  had  passed.  He  therefore  procured  an  order  for  the 
disbursing  officer  of  the  Commission,  Colonel  French,  to 
meet  him  in  Rawlings,  Wyoming  Territory,  with  a  military 
escort,  and  at  once  started  back  to  his  post  of  duty.  As  he 
stepped  from  the  train  on  reaching  Denver,  an  officer  ar- 
rested him  on  a  warrant  sworn  to  by  a  ruffian,  to  whom 
perjury  meant  nothing  save  the  price  he  got  for  it.  The 
charge  was  that  he  had  conspired  with  Agent  Berry  and 
others  to  procure  the  murder  of  Jackson.  The  object  of 
this  arrest  was  to  delay,  if  not  prevent,  his  keeping  his 
promise  to  the  Indians  to  pay  them  their  money,  with  the 
hope  of  forcing  an  outbreak  which  would  give  the  conspir- 
ators an  excuse  and  an  opportunity  to  rob  the  Utes,  and 
also  make  money  through  army  contracts.  The  Judge  be- 

239 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

fore  whom  he  was  arraigned  disappointed  the  villains  by- 
allowing  Colonel  Meacham  to  give  bonds  for  his  appear- 
ance for  trial  six  months  later,  instead  of  sending  him  to 
prison;  hence  he  was  detained  but  one  day  by  this  arrest. 
He  proceeded  at  once  to  Los  Pinos,  paid  the  Utes  the  money 
due,  according  to  promise,  and  returned  in  safety  to  Wash- 
ington about  Christmas.  He  reported  for  trial  in  April,  1881, 
but  the  prosecution  was  not  ready.  (The  villains  who 
started  this  prosecution  never  dared  to  let  the  case  go  to 
trial,  and  it  was  finally  dismissed  by  orders  from  the  De- 
partment of  Justice,  at  Washington). 

He  then  proceeded,  under  orders  from  Colonel  Many- 
penny,  Chairman  of  the  Ute  Commission,  to  White  River 
Agency,  charged  with  the  difficult  and  perilous  duty  of 
getting  these  wild  and  rebellious  Indians,  who  had  killed 
Agent  Meeker  two  years  before,  and  who  had  no  agent 
since,  to  sign  the  Ute  agreement,  and  surrendering  their 
old  home,  move  on  to  Uinta.  He  succeeded,  but  the  perils, 
excitement  and  privations  incident  to  his  year  and  a  half 
of  service  as  a  Ute  Commissioner,  had  so  exhausted  his  al- 
ready shattered  constitution  that  he  returned  to  Washing- 
ton, October  15,  1881,  in  very  feeble  health.  He  was  not 
confined  to  his  room  save  for  a  day  or  two  at  a  time,  oc- 
casionally, but  continued  to  edit  '^The  Council  Fire''  and 
visit  the  Indian  office  on  public  business;  but  despite  the 
most  skilful  medical  treatment,  the  best  nursing,  and  good 
social  influences,  he  continued  to  lose  flesh  and  strength. 
His  physical  body  was  slowly  but  surely  sinking  to  the 
grave,  and  his  spirit  pluming  its  pinions  for  an  immortal 
flight.  He  had  premonitions  of  the  approaching  change,  but 
when  it  came  it  must  have  been  a  surprise  to  him,  as  it  was 
to  his  physicians  and  other  friends.  The  final  summons 
came  at  3  P.  M.,  February  16,  1882,  in  the  form  of  a  stroke 
of  apoplexy,  as  he  sat  beside  his  editorial  table  in  his 
chamber.  He  was  buried  at  the  Congregational  Cemetery, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

His  family  consists  of  his  widow,  a  son,  George  F.,  a 
young  man  of  twenty-five,  educated  in  the  Willamette  Uni- 

240 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

versity,  who  has  chosen  the  law  as  a  profession,  and  two 
daughters,  Clara  M.,  wife  of  Dr.  J.  N.  Prather,  of  San 
Francisco  (now  of  Adams  Springs,  California),  and  Nellie, 
the  youngest  child,  widow  of  the  late  Captain  Throop,  of 
the  Oregon  Steamship  Line,  who  died  in  October,  1882,  at 
San  Jose,  California.  Mrs.  Meacham,  Nellie  and  George  re- 
side in  Portland,  Oregon,  and  Clara  in  California.* 


Princess  Mary,  sister  of  Capt.  Jack.  Indian  name  Ko-a- 
lak-o,  meaning,  Hard  Working  Woman.  Died  at  Quapaw 
Agency,  Oklahoma,  Feb.  26,  1906,  aged  about  62.  This 
photo  taken  in  1903. 


*The  family  at  present  lives  in  Seattle,  Washington. 

241 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  CAPTAIN  O.  C.  APPLEGATE 


Captain  O. 
C.  Applegate, 
known  by  the 
Indians  a  s 
Bli-was  Lock- 
ie,  meaning 
Indian  Chief, 
than  whom 
no  man  is 
better  known 
i  n  Southern 
Oregon,  was 
born  in  1845 
in  what  was 
then  Yamhill 
County,  Ore- 
gon Terri- 
tory. His 
father,  Lind- 
s  a  y  Apple- 
gate,  was  a 
native  of 
Kentucky 
and  the  son 
of  a  Revolu- 
tionary     sol- 


Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate.    This  photo  taken  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  1890. 


dier.  Lindsay  was  one  of  the  three  Applegate  brothers,  the 
others  being  Jesse  and  Charley,  who  came  across  the  plains 
with  their  families  in  1843  with  the  first  great  train  to 
cross  the  plains  with  wagons,  and  were  among  the  leaders 
of  that  host  of  nearly  a  thousand  people  whose  coming 
Americanized  Oregon. 

The  Applegate  brothers  spent  one  winter  at  the  Methodist 
Mission  at  Champoeg  on  the  Willamette  River,  and  then 
selected  claims  in  the  Salt  Creek  Valley  at  the  foot  of  the 
Coast  Mountains,  about  fifteen  miles  West  of  the  present 


242 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

city  of  Salem,  and  there  the  subject  of  the  sketch  was  born. 
After  seven  years  spent  there  the  three  brothers  removed 
to  the  then  wilderness  Umpqua  County,  and  made  their 
homes  in  the  fertile  Yoncalla  Valley,  close  neighbors  to 
the  Umpqua  and  Calapooia  bands  of  Indians,  who  yet  re- 
mained in  their  native  habit  and  outnumbered  the  white 
settlers  many  times  to  one.  The  judicious  and  equitable 
treatment  of  these  Indians  by  the  Applegate  brothers  and 
their  neighbors  established  cordial  relations  with  them, 
and  many  of  the  young  Indians  became  the  efficient  aids 
of  the  settlers  in  caring  for  their  stock  and  in  the  various 
labors  incident  to  the  improvement  and  cultivation  of 
their  farms.  When  the  Rogue  River  War  of  1853  occurred  a 
number  of  them  enlisted  in  the  company  of  Captain  Lind- 
say Applegate  and  went  to  assist  in  protecting  the  strag- 
gling first  settlements  in  the  Rogue  River  country  from 
the  depredations  of  the  warlike  Rogue  Rivers  and  Shasta 
Scotons.  The  initial  treaty  with  the  Indians  of  the  Northern 
sections  of  the  Umpqua  Valley  was  made  at  the  log  cabin 
home  of  Captain  Lindsay  Applegate  in  1854,  by  Special 
Indian  Agent  Rev.  H.  H.  Spaulding,-  a  man  well-known 
by  historians,  and  the  companion  and  missionary  co-laborer 
of  the  lamented  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman,  who,  with  others, 
was  assassinated  at  his  Waiilatpu  Mission,  November  29, 
1847.  So  far  as  our  record  runs  the  Spaulding  treaty  was 
never  violated,  either  by  these  Indians  nor  by  the  original 
settlers  of  the  Umpqua  Valley.  Lindsay  Applegate  remained 
ten  years  in  the  Umpqua  Valley,  and  there  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  secured  the  rudiments  of  a  practical  education 
in  the  peripatetic  common  schools  and  in  the  rather  am- 
bitious development  of  one  of  these  known  as  the  Yoncalla 
Institute,  an  educational  institution  now  only  known  to  the 
historian. 

In  1860  Lindsay  Applegate  removed  to  the  Siskiyou 
Mountains,  near  the  California  boundary,  and  two  years 
later  to  the  village  of  Ashland.  Here  Oliver  spent  one  win- 
ter in  school  and  was  promoted  to  the  teacher's  place,  and 
the  next  year  conducted  the  school  for  four  successive  win- 

243 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

ters.  In  1863  a  military  company  was  organized  in  South- 
ern Oregon  under  the  militia  law  of  the  State,  with  head- 
quarters at  Ashland.  Ivan  D.  Applegate  was  captain  for 
two  years  in  succession.  In  this  company  Oliver  served  a 
year  as  a  private,  under  detail  as  company  clerk,  a  yen.r 
as  sergeant  and  the  third  year  as  captain,  receiving  his 
commission  from  Addison  C.  Gibbs,  the  old  war  Governor 
of  Oregon,  before  he  had  reached  his  twentieth  birthday. 
The  treaty  having  been  made  in  1864  with  the  Klamaths 
and  Modocs,  Lindsay  Applegate  was  at  their  request  ap- 
pointed U.  S.  Indian  Agent,  and  in  the  fall  of  1865  went  to 
Fort  Klamath  and  took  charge  of  them.  The  fort  was  the 
only  place  east  of  the  Cascades  where  there  were  at  that 
time  any  white  people,  and  the  agent  made  that  for  several 
months  the  seat  of  his  operations.  The  treaty  was  not 
ratified  by  the  Senate  for  two  years  and  the  incidental 
funds  that  the  Oregon  superintendency  could  provide  for 
agency  operations  and  improvements  were  very  meager. 
Only  one  employe  could  be  allowed  as  assistant  to  the  agent, 
at  first  and  to  this  place  Oliver  was  appointed,  October  12, 
1865,  and  that  was  tjie  beginning  of  service  that  lasted  for 
several  years  and  under  various  agency  administrations, 
during,  which  period  Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate  gained  an  almost 
phenomenal  influence  over  the  tribes  of  Southeastern  Ore- 
gon that  was  used  to  good  advantage  when  the  Modoc  out- 
break of  1872  occurred  and  perhaps  more  than  any  other 
agency  has  resulted  in  the  conversion  of  the  most  turbulent 
of  the  Indian  tribes  of  outheastern  Oregon  into  quiet  farm- 
ers and  stock  men,  and  made  many  of  them  our  allies  during 
the  Paiute  and  Modoc  Wars. 

The  first  farming  operations  worthy  of  mention  in  the 
rich  Klamath  basin  were  begun  at  the  Klamath  agency  in 
the  spring  of  1866,  and  it  was  conclusively  shown  there 
that  wheat,  oats,  barley,  garden  vegetables,  timothy  and 
other  grasses  could  be  successfully  grown  on  the  rich  al- 
luvial lands  about  the  lakes  and  rivers  of  the  great  interior 
basin.  In  1867  Supt.  J.  W.  Perit  Huntington,  of  the  Ore- 
gon Indian  Superintendency,  undertook,  with  a  large  wagon 

244 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


train  and  a  band  of  beef  cattle,  to  convey  from  The  Dalles, 
parallel  with  the  Cascade  Range,  over  $30,000  worth  of 
clothing,  blankets,  farming  utensils,  etc.,  to  the  Klamath 
agency;  the  first  slip  in  the  commencement  of  operations 
under  the  great  treaty  of  1864  for  the  benefit  of  the  South- 
eastern tribes  in  Oregon.  Agent  Lindsay  Applegate  was 
instructed  to  meet  Supt.  Huntington  after  his  departure 
from  The  Dalles,  and  with  a  small  detachment  of  regular 
cavalry  and  a  hastily  organized 
company  of  Klamath  scouts,  he 
left  the  agency  in  October  and 
met  the  Superintendent's  heavily 
laden  train  at  Cedar  Spring,  near 
the  Warm  Springs  agency.  Cap- 
tain O.  C.  Applegate's  scouts  were 
called  the  "Axe  and  Rifle  Com- 
pany" because,  on  their  return 
with  the  train,  each  man  carried 
an  axe  in  addition  to  his  rifle  and 
opened  a  way  for  the  wagons 
through  the  jack  and  yellow  pine 
forests  that  were  encountered 
between  Farewell  Bend  (now 
Bend)  on  the  Deschutes,  and 
Klamath  agency,  a  distance  of 
a  hundred  and  thirty  miles,  work- 
ing with  enthusiasm  to  clear  a 
way  for  the  train,  but  ever  keep- 
ing a  vigilant  eye  out  for  old  Pan- 
nina,  the  predatory  chief  of  the 
Snake  Indians,  then  hostile, 
through  whose  domain  the  great 
caravan  progressed  day  by  day. 
The  train  crossed  the  highlands 
about  the  southern  watershed  of 
the  Deschutes  region  in  a  snow- 
storm and  reached  the  agency  in 
November.    The  company  was  in- 


AUen  David,  one  of  the 
Klamath,  Oregon,  Indian  head 
chiefs  that  signed  the  Great 
Treaty  at  Council  Grove.  This 
treaty  was  negotiated  be- 
tween the  Hon.  P.  W.  Perit 
Huntington,  Superintendent 
of  Indian  Affairs  for  Oregon, 
and  the  Hon.  William  Logan, 
United  States  Indian  Agent 
at  Warm  Springs,  Oregon, 
Commisioners  on  the  part  of 
the  U.  S.;  and  twenty -six 
chiefs  and  headmen  of  the 
various  tribes.  This  was  the 
Great  Treaty  with  the  Indians 
of  this  region. 


245 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

creased  by  the  addition  of  twenty  men  under  Chief  Palmer 
after  leaving  the  Deschutes,  raising  its  aggregate  to  fifty 
men.  In  some  respects  this  was  one  of  the  most  unique 
companies  of  men  to  operate  on  the  border  in  our  initial 
days,  as  of  the  fifty  men  who  constituted  the  aggregation 
the  captain  was  the  only  white  man  and  among  the  forty- 
nine  others  were  seven  of  the  principal  chiefs,  the  head 
chief  or  lieutenant,  all  yielding  a  loyal  obedience  to  the 
will  of  the  white  commander  of  twenty-two. 

For  some  time  precedent  to  the  Modoc  outbreak  of  1872, 
Captain  Applegate  had  charge  of  the  Yainax  sub-agency, 
forty  miles  east  of  headquarters,  Klamath  Agency,  which 
was  then  under  the  supervision  of  the  U.  S.  Indian  agent, 
Leroy  S.  Dyar.  Near  the  sub-agency  were  located  the  main 
band  of  Modocs  under  their  famous  old  chief,  Schonchin, 
and  with  him  were  to  be  domiciled  the  turbulent  band  un- 
der Captain  Jack,  then  in  their  native  habitat  about  Tule 
Lake,  in  case  they  should  come  voluntarily  unto  the  reser- 
vation or  should  have  to  be  compelled  by  force  to  comply 
with  the  treaty  of  1864. 

Late  in  the  fall  of  1872  Superintendent  Odeneal  received 
orders  to  bring  these  Indians  unto  the  reservation,  using 
force  to  do  so  if  necessary.  At  that  time  Camp  Warner  was 
the  headquarters  of  the  military.  District  of  the  Lakes, 
which  comprised  the  lake  region  of  Southeastern  Oregon 
and  Northern  California,  and  had  within  its  area  three 
other  military  posts.  Fort  Klamath,  Camp  Harney  and  Fort 
Bidwell.  General  Frank  Wheaton,  who  commanded  the  dis- 
trict, could  have  placed  in  the  field,  without  weakening 
his  garrison  too  much,  a  hundred  and  fifty  men  and  would 
gladly  have  done  so  if  necessary  to  secure  a  successful  set- 
tlement of  the  mixed  Modoc  question.  Captain  Applegate, 
fearing  that  an  effort  to  compel  the  insurgent  band  to  come 
unto  the  reservation  might  be  undertaken  with  an  inade- 
quate force,  made  a  formal  request  of  the  Superintendent 
through  Agent  Dyar  to  call  on  General  Wheaton  to  have  all 
his  available  men  in  readiness  and  near  at  hand  before  a 
demand  should  be  made  on  Captain  Jack  to  come,  lest  the 

246 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

settlements  be  endangered  and  the  Indians  escape  to  the 
almost  inaccessible  volcanic  regions  south  of  the  Modoc 
lakes.  Had  this  advice  been  heeded  we  probably  should  have 
been  spared  the  bloody  drama  of  the  Modoc  War ;  but  when 
Superintendent  Odneal  came  up  from  Salem  and  through 
a  messenger  found  the  rebellious  chief  tan  in  no  temper  to 
comply  with  the  treaty,  not  willing  even  to  counsel  with 
him,  he  called  upon  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Klam- 
ath, Col.  John  Green,  to  provide  a  force  to  compel  the  re- 
calcitrant chief  to  come  at  once,  provided  he  still  held  out 
in  the  face  of  the  display  of  soldiery.  It  was  thought  that 
fifty  men  were  available,  at  Fort  Klamath,  for  active  op- 
erations in  the  field,  but  when  it  came  to  preparing  Cap- 
tain James  Jackson's  troop  for  immediate  service,  properly 
mounted  and  equipped,  only  thirty-five  could  be  gotten 
ready  for  the  trip.  This  force  proved  inadequate,  and  the 
consequence  was  that  nearly  a  third  of  Captain  Jackson's 
command  were  disabled  in  the  fight  which  ensued  at  Cap- 
tain Jack's  camp  on  Lost  River,  and  the  Modocs  escaped  to 
the  almost  inaccessible  recesses  of  the  Lava  Beds,  south  of 
Tule  Lake,  California,  massacreing  most  of  the  settlers 
about  Tule  Lake  en  route.  Captain  Jackson's  force  was  too 
weak  for  aggressive  action,  no  State  troops  were  in  the 
field  and  some  days  must  elapse  before  troops  could  reach 
the  scene  of  action  from  the  other  posts  in  the  military 
District  of  the  Lakes.  Captain  Applegate,  sub-agent  at 
Yainax,  forty-five  miles  from  Fort  Klamath  and  eighty 
miles  from  Fort  Bidwell,  California,  with  five  hundred  In- 
dians, a  majority  of  them  Paiutes  and  Modocs,  was  a  nu- 
cleus of  danger  at  that  time,  for  should  those  warlike  peo- 
ple unite  with  their  brethren  already  on  the  warpath,  no 
power  was  then  in  reach  which  could  have  been  invoked 
to  save  the  initial  settlements  in  the  Klamath  Valley.  Capt. 
Applegate,  assuring  himself  of  the  loyalty  of  the  old  chief, 
Schonchin  of  the  Modocs,  and  of  Mosenkosket,  of  the  Klam- 
aths,  took  the  situation  strongly  in  hand,  built  a  log  stock- 
ade, enclosing  the  sub-agency  quarters  and  storehouses, 
where  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  annuity  goods  and  sup- 

247 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

plies  were  then  stored,  organized  a  guard  consisting  of 
twenty-five  picked  Indians  of  various  tribes  and  put  them 
on  guard  over  the  establishment,  under  the  supervision  of 
a  courageous  young  Klamath  chief,  and  with  another  force 
of  chosen  men  representing  several  tribes,  took  the  field 
with  them,  the  only  white  man  in  the  force  when  it  left 
Yainax,  to  assist  in  protecting  the  settlers  until  the  arrival 
of  troops  from  the  other  posts  and  a  company  of  militia 
from  Jacksonville,  under  Captain  Harrison  Kelley,  should 
reach  the  front. 

Later  he  became  a  captain  of  State  troops,  consisting  of 
over  seventy  men,  of  whom  about  thirty  were  Klamaths, 
Modocs  and  Pitt  River  scouts,  and  stationing  detachments 
of  his  company  at  points  where  they  could  aid  in  the  pro- 
tection of  the  settlers  and  in  the  garrisoning  of  Camp 
Yainax,  participated  actively  in  the  campaigns  in  and  about 
the  Lava  Beds,  besides  conducting  the  affairs  at  his  agency. 

In  1876  some  of  Capt.  Applegate's  friends  asked  to  have 
him  appointed  General  Indian  Agent  for  Oregon,  assuring 
that  in  such  a  way  his  unusual  experience  in  the  manage- 
ment of  Indian  affairs  could  be  used  to  good  purpose  in 
promoting  progressive  conditions  on  the  several  agencies 
in  the  State.  Ex-Senator  Nesmith  was  an  ardent  advocate 
of  the  plan,  and  wrote  as  follows  to  Sec.  Zach  Chandler, 
Grant's  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  with  whom  he  had  served 
in  the  Senate : 

"Mr.  Applegate  is  a  gentleman  of  culture  and  ability,  and, 
unlike  myself,  he  is  a  prominent  Republican  and  is  as  hon- 
est as  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  be  possessing  his  per- 
verted political  notions.  You  will  pardon  me,  I  know,  for 
proposing  appointment  to  an  administration  which  I  do  not 
endorse,  but  I  do  so  in  order  to  promote  the  reforms  which 
you  have  so  happily  inaugurated." 

Captain  Applegate  has  always  been  a  leading  man  in  his 
party  in  Southern  Oregon,  though  seldom  a  candidate  for 
public  office.  Supported  by  the  solid  delegation  of  the  south- 
ernmost counties  of  the  State  for  Secretary  of  State  in  1870, 
he  withdrew  on  the  floor  of  the  state  convention.  Four 

248 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

years  later  his  delegation  favored  his  candidacy  for  the 
same  office,  but  he. gave  way  to  a  personal  friend  who 
earnestly  desired  the  gubernatorial  nomination.  In  1892,  as 
a  delegate  to  the  National  convention,  he  was  one  of  the 
seven  Oregon  delegates.  The  others  being  Charles  W.  Ful- 
lon,  Thomas  H.  Tongue,  Charles  E.  Wolverton,  Joseph 
Simon,  Jonathan  Bourne  and  C.  M.  D.  Donaldson,  who  led 
the  movement  in  behalf  of  the  nomination  of  William  Mc- 
Kinley,  which,  though  it  did  not  at  that  time  materialize, 
undoubtedly  placed  McKinley  in  the  line  of  succession,  so 
that  four  years  later  his  nomination  was  a  foregone  con- 
clusion. As  a  candidate  for  State  Senator  in  1898,  although 
the  miasm  of  Populism  was  then  sweeping  over  the  coun- 
try with  extraordinary  violence.  Captain  Applegate  re- 
ceived the  largest  vote  given  in  his  county  to  the  candidate 
of  any  party  for  any  office,  an  endorsement  to  be  proud 
of,  but  he  was  defeated  by  another  * 'favorite  son,"  Dr. 
Bernard  Daly,  for  whom  a  phenomenal  vote  was  given  in 
Lake  through  a  combination  of  men  of  all  political  cults. 

In  1898  Captain  Applegate  took  charge  of  the  Klamath 
reservation  as  U.  S.  Indian  agent,  and  served  as  such  for 
five  years.  Congress  then  discontinued  the  position  of  agent 
and  he  was  appointed  bonded  Superintendent  of  the  Agency 
and  Training  School,  a  position  which  he  resigned  after 
serving  for  two  years.  During  this  period  of  seven  years  he 
did  much  to  advance  the  Indians  in  civilization,  prosecuted 
to  a  successful  issue  their  claim  to  over  half  a  million  dol- 
lars for  lands  excluded  from  the  reservation  by  erroneous 
boundary  surveys  and  developed  comprehensive  plans  for 
irrigation  and  drainage,  which  will  add  materially  to  the 
wealth  of  the  reservation,  an  area  approximately  in  size  to 
the  State  of  Delaware,  when  that  splendid  section  shall  be 
freed  from  reservation  restraints.  He  is  always  an  enthusi- 
astic boomer  of  his  native  State  and  especially  of  the  sec- 
tion where  he  has  so  long  made  his  home  and  has  been  a 
forceful  factor  in  the  development  of  the  entire  country, 
in  its  moral,  educational  and  material  aspects. 

As  an  optimistic  believer  in  the  future  of  his  favorite  sec- 

249 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

tion  and  of  his  native  State  in  its  entirety,  Captain  Apple- 
gate  has  no  superior  as  an  enthusiastic  boomer.  He  has  been 
an  eye-witness  and  an  observing  one,  too,  of  its  develop- 
ment from  the  days  when  the  inhabitants  of  Oregon  Terri- 
tory were  confined  to  a  little  straggling  frontier  settlement 
in  the  Willamette  Valley,  isolated,  lonesome  and  suffering 
many  privations,  until  the  State  has  become  the  home  of 
more  than  half  a  million  people  who  enjoy  the  advantages 
of  a  civilization  not  surpassed  elsewhere  in  the  Nation.  He 
is  still  a  resident  of  Klamath  Falls,  Oregon. 


U.  S.  Grant,  a  Modoc  Warrior,  and  his  grandchildren.  He  \vas 
blind.  Indian  name  A-ke-kis,  meaning  Running  Fast.  Died 
April  15,  1906,  86  years  of  age,  at  the  Quapaw  Agency,  Okla- 
homa.   Photo  taken  in  1903. 

250 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

BIOGRAPHY  OF  JUDGE  E.  STEELE. 
Elijah  Steele,  Superior  Judge,  was  born  near  Albany, 
New  York  State,  November  13th,  1817.  The  son  of  Orlo 
Steele.  When  he  was  three  years  of  age  the  family  moved 
to  Oswego,  New  York,  where  Elijah  was  educated.  He  read 
law  in  the  office  of  Brant  &  Allen,  the  latter  gentleman 
being  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Appeals.  At  the  July  term, 

1840,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  of 
the  Supreme  Court 
of  New  York,  and 
then  went  to  Wis- 
consin, landing  in 
Kenosha;  then 
South  Port  on  the 
5th  of  Oct.  That 
fall  he  was  admitted 
to  the  Circuit  Court 
of  Wisconsin.  He 
praticed  law  there 
until  April,  1850, 
during  which  time 
he  was  a  member 
of  the  First  Con- 
stitutional conven- 
tion of  Wisconsin. 
In  1840  he  was  elec- 
ted to  the  State 
Senate,    but   before 


Judge  E.  Steele 


his  term  expired  he  left  for  California  for  his  health,  in- 
tending to  stay  one  year.  He  landed  in  Sacramento  from 
across  the  plains,  October  the  5th,  1850,  just  ten  years  af- 
ter leaving  Wisconsin.  He  went  at  once  to  Shasta  and 
commenced  mining  at  Middletown.  He  soon  went  below  for 
medical  aid.  He  fell  in  with  some  of  the  Scott  River  pros- 
pectors and  went  to  Shasta  to  winter. 

In  January  he  started  with  others  for  Scott  River.  The 
trip  was  tedious  and  the  estimated  distance  from  Shasta  to 


251 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

Shasta  Butte  was  190  miles.  He  worked  for  a  few  days  at 
Scott  Bar,  then  came  to  Yreka,  when  news  was  received 
of  the  discovery  of  gold  there  and  took  up  a  claim  north  of 
Rich  Gulch.  It  was  a  poor  one,  and  he  met  with  Robert 
Atherton,  Stephen  Watson  and  others  to  the  number  of 
twelve,  and  took  up  a  claim  on  Greenhorn  with  James  Mc- 
Cummings  and  Barney  Simmons.  He  went  prospecting 
about  Shasta  Butte  and  lay  camped  back  of  Sheep  Rock 
two  nights  in  a  terrible  snowstorm,  which  dates  he  placed 
at  the  21st  and  22nd  of  March,  1851.  In  the  fall  of  1851, 
Steele  joined  with  Sloan,  Briggs  and  Tiernan  and  started 
from  Scott's  Bar  by  Yreka  to  Sacramento.  He  took  up  a 
land  claim  two  miles  this  side  of  Fort  Jones  and  estab- 
lished a  trading  post  with  Tiernan  in  charge,  and  another 
at  Scott's  Bar  with  Sloan  in  charge.  Steele  drove  the  ex- 
press on  one  of  his  trips ;  he  was  taken  sick  at  Sacramento 
and  it  was  reported  he  was  dead.  Early  in  the  winter  his 
partner  closed  up  the  business  and  departed.  Steele  met 
Briggs  at  Trinity  Center  with  part  of  the  mules.  He  took 
from  him  part  of  his  own  mules  and  took  possession  of  the 
ranch  near  Fort  Jones.  He  was  joined  by  Lucius  Fair- 
child  from  Wisconsin.  He  practiced  a  little  in  his  profession 
and  for  defending  a  man  charged  with  murder  he  received 
four  head  of  beef  cattle  worth  $500.  With  these  Steele  and 
Fairchild  started  butchering  business.  Fairchild  took  charge 
of  the  market  at  Scott's  Bar  and  Steele  stayed  at  the  ranch. 
They  continued  together  till  1855,  when  Fairchild  returned 
home.  He  became  Secretary  of  State,  Governor  of  Wiscon- 
sin two  terms,  General  in  the  Army,  United  States  Consul 
at  Liverpool,  England,  and  U.  S.  Minister  to  Spain.  Steele 
formed  a  law  partnership  with  A.  M.  Roseborough  and  J. 
Berry.  In  1856  he  sold  the  ranch  and  invested  in  mortgages 
on  Scott's  River  Ditch  and  lost  it  all.  He  then  went  to  Yreka 
to  practice  his  profession.  He  associated  himself  with  John 
D.  Cosby  from  1857  to  1859,  and  afterwards  partner  with 
F.  E.  Ensign,  and  then  practiced  alone.  In  1867  he  was 
elected  to  the  Assembly.  In  1870  he  was  chosen  Judge  of 
the  Superior  Court,  Siskiyou  County.  In  1843  he  married 

•2S2 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

Miss  Lucia  M.  Hart,  of  Oswego,  New  York,  by  whom  he 
had  four  children.  In  1857  he  married  Louisa  P.  Hamblin 
of  Yreka,  who  died  in  January,  1866.  He  was  afterwards 
married  to  Louisa  E.  Lanz  at  Yreka,  by  whom  he  had  three 
boys.  The  Shastas  named  him  Joe  Lane's  Brother.  Steele 
was  a  favorite  among  the  Shastas.  He  was  Superintendent 
of  the  Northern  California  Indians,  1863.  He  died  in  Yreka, 
California,  June  27th,  1883. 

There  are  also  two  younger  sons  of  the  late  Judge  Steele, 
both  born  in  Yreka,  Cal. :  Charles  Darwin  Steele,  the  fourth 
son,  born  February  22,  1882,  and  Elmer  Steele,  the  fifth 
son,  born  November  11,  1883. 


LETTERS  FROM  JUDGE  E.  STEELE  TO  HIS 
BROTHER,  A.  H.  STEELE. 

Dear  Brother: — 

At  your  request,  I  subjoin  a  brief  statement  of  my  recol- 
lection, knowledge  and  intercourse  with  the  Indians  since 
my  leaving  the  east  in  the  spring  of  1850.  Crossing  the 
plains  that  summer,  while  suffering  much,  with  other  emi- 
grants, by  short  feed  for  my  stock  and  loss  of  supplies  in 
our  train,  I  had  no  trouble  with  the  Indians.  Others  did, 
but  I  saw  or  thought  a  cause  with  themselves,  or  with  some 
that  had  shortly  preceded  them  for  it. 

On  the  south  fork  of  the  Humboldt,  I,  with  a  Mr.  Smith, 
since  dead,  went  into  a  large  village  of  Shoshones,  to  look 
for  a  mule  belonging  to  a  sick  man,  lying  upon  the  plains. 
After  considerable  parley  they  allowed  us  to  examine  their 
stock,  but  we  found  none  to  answer  the  description  of  the 
one  wanted.  We  found  stolen  cattle,  taken  from  a  train 
ten  days  before,  but  they  claimed  the  owners  of  the  train 
had  commenced  the  aggression,  and  that  they  had  these  in 
retaliation.  They  treated  us  well  and  frankly,  and  we  re- 
turned to  our  train  in  the  evening.  This  was  the  only  in- 
cident within  my  personal  observation  while  crossing  the 
plains. 

253 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

On  arriving  in  California,  I  located  in  the  mines  near 
Shasta  City,  where  I  worked  with  the  pick  and  shovel  until 
January,  1851,  when,  with  General  Joe  Lane,  I  came  to 
Scott's  Bar,  in  this  county,  where  I  arrived  in  February  of 
that  year. 

At  the  foot  of  Scott  Valley  we  found  a  numerous  tribe 
of  Indians,  who  were  friendly,  and  came  into  camp,  and 
among  the  rest  a  young  Indian  of  fine  appearance,  the 
brother  to  the  chief,  we  named  Jim.  These  Indians  had  a 
custom  of  wearing  beads  or  ornaments  in  their  noses.  A 
young  man  of  the  train  had  a  brass  padlock,  which,  un- 
beknown to  others  of  us,  he  locked  into  the  nose  of  this 
Indian  the  next  evening,  who  considered  it  a  fine  present. 
The  next  morning  he  came  into  camp,  his  nose  much  swol- 
len, and  unable  to  relieve  himself  of  the  ornament.  He  ap- 
plied to  his  supposed  friend  for  relief  without  success, 
when  my  attention  being  attracted  to  the  matter,  I  com- 
pelled his  release,  which  attached  him  and  his  tribe  to  me 
until  this  day. 

Shortly  after  that,  with  a  Mr.  James  McCummings,  now 
living,  I  think,  in  Northern  Illinois,  and  another  man,  whose 
name  I  have  forgotten,  I  went  on  a  prospecting  tour  via 
Shasta  Butte  to  the  western  confines  of  the  Modoc  country. 
We  passed  unmolested  through  the  Shasta  Indians,  then 
very  numerous,  and  into  the  Modoc  country,  and  thence 
back  to  Yreka.  This  was  in  March,  1851.  The  term  Shasta 
is,  I  think,  attached  to  this  tribe  from  their  residence  in 
the  so-called  Shasta  Valley,  as  Scott's  River,  Rogue  River, 
etc.,  is  the  distinguishing  term  for  those  living  in  those 
valleys. 

When  I  first  came  here  the  Indians  inhabiting  the  lower 
end  of  Scott's  Valley,  thence  to  and  up  the  Klamath  River 
to  the  eastern  line  of  Shasta  Valley — the  Shasta,  the 
Yreka,  the  Rogue  River  Indians — all  talked  one  language, 
and  claimed  to  have  been  formerly  under  one  chief,  but 
were  then  subdivided  into  quite  a  number  of  tribes;  the 
Rivers  under  Chief  John  (so  we  called  him)  ;  the  Yreka 
Indians   under  Tolo;    the   Shastas   under   Scar-Face;    the 

254 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


Siskiyou  Mountain  under  Joe  and  Sam.  These  names  were 
all  given  them  by  the  whites.  Tip  Lie  and  the  Rogue  River 
Indians  under  Sam. 

The  Klamath  Indians,  then  known 
as  the  La  Lakes,  inhabiting  that  dis- 
trict of  country  around  Big  Klamath 
Lake,  and  north  of  Klamath  River,  and 
west  of  Link  River,  talked  a  language 
peculiar  to  themselves,  and  also  under- 
stood the  jargon.  The  Modocs,  inhabit- 
ing the  country  south  of  Little  Klam- 
ath Lake,  and  around  Tule  Lake,  east 
of  Goose  Nest  Mountain  and  west  ot 
Goose  Lake,  also  conversed  in  a  lan- 
guage peculiar  to  themselves,  and  knew 
but  little  of  the  jargon;  those  of  the 
Upper  Scott  River  and  the  forks  of  the 
Salmon  River,  yet  another  language; 
also  those  of  Trinity  River  and  Upper 
Sacramento.  This  last  tribe  were  more 
of  the  Digger  in  form  and  appearance ; 
were  very  thieving  in  their  disposition ; 
and  would  commit  murder  for  plunder 
when  they  could  come  upon  one  by 
stealth.  Many  of  our  people  suffered  in 
life  and  property  from  them,  although 
by  watchfulness  I  passed  very  frequent- 
ly through  their  country  unharmed. 

They  inhabited,  in  addition  to  Trin- 
ity and  Sacramento  Canyon,  a  portion 
of  McLeod  or  Louid  River  and  Lower 
Pitt  River,  and  were  as  miserable  a  set 
of  Indians  as  I ^  ever  saw.  In  June,  1851, 
the  man  that  went  out  with  Mr.  Mc- 
Cummings  and  myself  organized  on 
Scott's  Bar  a  company  to  go  to  the  Mo- 
doc country  for  horses  and  took  from  these  Indians,  as 
near  as  I  now  recollect,  sixty  head,  and,  as  it  was  reported 


Jim  Winnishett,  a 
Modoc  War  survivor. 
Was  one  of  Capt. 
Donald  McKay's  right 
hand  men  among  the 
Warm  Spring  U.  S. 
Indian  Scouts  during 
the  war.  Now  resides 
at  Warm  Springs  Res- 
ervation, Oregon. 


255 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

— ^but  of  that  I  have  no  personal  knowledge — some  children, 
which  they  gave  to  their  friends,  for  servants.  In  the  spring 
of  1852,  while  I  was  in  the  lower  country,  a  difficulty  arose 
between  the  Indians  of  the  Lower  Scott's  Valley,  on  ac- 
count of  the  murder  of  a  white  man  from  Scott's  Bar  by 
Indians  on  Indian  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Scott's  River.  A 
company  was  organized,  and  a  fight  ensued  in  which  Cap- 
tain Whipple,  now  of  the  regular  army,  received  a  serious 
wound  in  the  side.  I  happened  to  return  home  at  this  junc- 
ture, and,  in  passing  down  Scott's  Valley  alone,  I  found  the 
Indians  in  great  commotion;  and  upon  inquiry  of  them  as 
to  the  cause,  hearing  their  version,  told  Tolo,  Chief  John, 
and  others  to  come  to  me  at  Johnson's  the  next  morning 
for  a  talk.  Getting  to  Johnson's,  I  found  it  surrounded  by 
a  stockade,  and  all  the  inmates  in  great  fear,  and  also  in 
wonderment  at  my  coming  through  the  Indians,  unharmed. 
The  next  morning,  agreeable  to  appointment,  the  Indians 
came  in;  claimed  that  it  was  none  of  their  Indians  that 
committed  the  murder,  but  a  couple  of  young  men  from 
Rogue  River,  then  stopping  with  the  Shastas.  They  then 
gave  me  as  hostages,  Tolo,  Jim  and  another  Indian,  who 
were  to  go  with  a  company  I  should  raise  to  capture  the 
murderers,  or,  on  failure,  to  be  dealt  with  as  I  should  say 
was  right.  With  our  Indian  prisoners  or  hostages  we  came 
to  Yreka,  where  we  found  the  people  under  great  fear  and 
excitement,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  we  could  pre- 
vent an  excited  mob  from  taking  our  Indians  and  hanging 
them.  Next  morning,  with  a  few  more  of  my  friends,  at 
Yreka,  with  our  Indians,  we  followed  in  the  chase.  Pro- 
ceeding to  the  canyon  of  the  Shasta  River,  we  found  all  of 
the  Indians  of  that  branch  of  the  tribe  under  great  fear  and 
after  much  difficulty,  by  sending  Tolo  out  as  runner,  we 
got  them  together  on  this  occasion.  A  powerful  spy-glass 
which  I  had,  and  of  which  they  had  no  knowledge,  by 
which  I  could  see  their  Indians  on  the  hills  far  off,  had  a 
wonderful  influence  on  their  superstition,  and  aided  in 
their  control.  We  remained  with  them  all  night,  and  during 
the  talk  learned  that  they  had  driven  the  Indians  out  that 

256 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

had  committed  the  offense,  for  fear  of  bringing  trouble 
upon  themselves,  and  that  the  aggressors  had  gone  to 
Rogue  River.  These  Indians  proposed  to  exchange  two  of 
their  Indians,  whom,  they  said,  were  acquainted  with  the 
passes  of  that  country,  for  the  ones  we  had,  and  we  to 
continue  the  pursuit.  Some  of  our  men  thought  it  was  mere 
pretext  to  avoid  the  responsibility,  but  a  few  of  us,  ten  in 
all  (one  of  the  number  being  another  Indian),  resolved  to 
accept  this  proposition.  Frank  Merrit  (now  with  McConnel 
and  Mr.  McMannus  of  Yreka),  Dr.  Thomson  (I  think  now 
in  the  employ  of  some  of  the  Departments  at  Washington, 
D.  C, — at  least  he  was  five  years  ago) ,  and  General  James 
Bruce  of  Oregon,  are  all  that  I  now  know  the  existence  of 
that  went  with  me. 

We  received  two  bright,  active  Indians,  whom  we  named 
Tom  and  Jack,  and  released  our  other  hostages  and  pro- 
ceeded on  our  way  to  Rogue  River.  On  crossing  the  Klamath 
River  we  learned  that  the  whole  Rogue  River  country  was 
in  arms  on  account  of  a  demand  made  by  Old  Joe  of  a 
white  girl  for  a  squaw  for  his  son,  and  of  his  threats  if  the 
demand  was  not  complied  with.  At  arriving  near  the  foot 
of  the  Siskiyou  Mountain  we  met  an  Indian  of  that  tribe 
coming  over  as  a  messenger  to  the  Shastas  to  persuade 
them  to  join  the  Rogue  River  Indians  in  extermination  upon 
the  whites.  As  we  came  upon  him  before  he  saw  us,  readily 
surrounded  him  and  asked  an  explanation  of  his  visit 
(which  was  unusual),  and  the  meaning  of  his  hostile  at- 
titude. He  refused  to  talk;  when  I  ordered  him  to  give  up 
his  arms  and  go  back  with  us  to  his  tribe  and  the  Indian 
agency  at  Rogue  River,  which  he  refused  to  do ;  I  then  told 
Mr.  McGavlin  (now  dead),  a  powerful  young  man,  to  take 
from  him  his  weapons  and  tie  his  hands  that  we  might 
take  him  back.  Upon  Mr.  McGavlin's  undertaking  to  do  so 
the  Indian  wrested  a  pistol  from  Mr.  McGavlin  and  turned 
and  shot  at  me,  cutting  the  mane  of  my  horse's  neck,  and 
then  fled.  He  went  but  a  short  distance  when  the  bullet 
sent  him  home.  On  arriving  at  Coles,  a  short  distance  above, 
we  found  two  men  that  were  unarmed,  that  this  Indian  had 

257 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

forced  to  march  ahead  of  him  until  they  came  in  sight  of 
Cole's  house,  when  the  Indian  passed  around  by  a  circuitous 
route  and  left  them.  We  then  continued  our  journey  over 
the  mountains.  In  the  night  and  early  in  the  morning  dis- 
covered an  Indian  on  the  trail,  whom  we  took  prisoner  and 
kept  with  us.  On  arriving  at  the  Mountain  House  on  the 
Rogue  River  side  we  met  some  gentlemen  on  the  way  to 
Yreka  for  aid,  and  notwithstanding  we  had  ridden  all  night, 
at  their  request  we  pushed  on  for  Big  Bar,  on  Rogue  River, 
where  it  was  said  the  Indians  had  congregated.  Shortly  be- 
fore reaching  our  destination  we  met  the  Indian  agent, 
Judge  Skinner,  who  asked  us  to  pass  on,  and  came  at  the 
river  until  he  could  come  back  next  morning,  in  the  hopes 
of  adjusting  the  matter.  On  our  passage  from  thence  to  the 
river  we  met  one  of  Joe's  or  Sam's  sons — I  do  not  justly 
know  which — heavily  armed,  passing  out  toward  the  other 
tribe.  We  took  him  prisoner  and  held  him  as  a  hostage  with 
the  other  prisoner.  On  the  next  day  the  agent  made  his  ap- 
pearance. In  the  meantime  one  of  our  Shasta  hostages  had 
espied  across  the  river  the  two  Indians  that  we  were  look- 
ing for.  We  found  at  this  point  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
citizens  of  Rogue  River  that  we  were  looking  for,  on  one 
side  and  between  two  and  three  hundred  Indians,  all  well 
armed  with  guns,  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  After  a 
long  parley,  in  which  we  demanded  the  two  Indians  we  were 
after,  in  place  of  our  prisoners,  the  agent  ordered  me  to 
give  up  my  prisoners  and  all  of  the  white  men  to  stack 
their  guns  fifty  paces  back  and  allow  the  Indians  to  come 
into  a  council  with  their  arms  in  their  hands.  This  order  I 
refused  for  our  company  to  comply  with.  The  Rogue 
River  people  stacked  their  guns,  and  a  large  number  of 
Indians  came  over  and  were  disposed  to  dictate  all  the 
terms  of  settlement.  In  a  short  time  it  was  discovered  that 
they  were  sheltering  themselves  within  range  of  the  guns, 
whereupon  the  others  on  our  side  resumed  their  weapons, 
and  in  a  short  time  the  Rogue  River  company  divided;  one 
division  to  go  on  upper-crossing  and  the  other  to  a  lower- 
crossing,  while  our  company  should  engage  the  Indians  at 

258 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

that  point.  As  the  other  companies  left,  leaving  our  small 
company,  now  increased  by  three  or  four  from  Jacksonville, 
among  whom  was  Mr.  William  Burgess,  now  of  Nevada. 
The  Indians  assumed  a  hostile  attitude  and  the  fight  com- 
menced; we  killing  thirteen  of  them  and  losing  one  man, 
wounded,  of  which  he  afterward  died.  We  charged  so  rapid- 
ly on  the  Indians  that  they  broke  and  ran,  and  as  was  sup- 
posed dispersed  into  the  settlement  in  the  valley,  whereupon 
the  company  from  that  valley  immediately  started  to  cut 
them  off  and  protect  the  settlers.  This  left  us  exposed,  and 
an  open  plain  to  cross  before  passing  into  a  thicket,  which 
the  Indians  discovered  and  re-crossed  the  river  with  the 
purpose  to  ambush  us  there.  Fortunately  a  gentleman  by 
the  name  of  Clugget,  knowing  the  locality  and  danger  to 
us,  took  shelter  in  the  thicket  and  killed  the  foremost 
Indian,  which  created  consternation  in  their  ranks,  and  we 
escaped.  That  night  we  guarded  the  family  of  Mr.  Tevault, 
now  deceased,  but  whose  family  yet  reside  in  Jacksonville, 
Oregon. 

The  next  day  it  was  found  that  the  Indians  had  moved 
up  to  the  head  of  Rogue  River,  and  it  was  arragned  for  the 
Oregon  volunteers  to  take  their  position  at  the  foot  of  Table 
Rock,  while  our  company,  increased  to  twenty-one,  of  whom 
were  William  Burgess,  of  Nevada,  and  George  C.  Pierson, 
of  Boston  Heights,  should  pass  up  the  river  in  the  night 
and,  if  possible,  drive  the  Indians  back  the  next  day.  Day- 
light found  us  at  the  head  of  the  river,  or  nearly  so,  and 
above  the  Indians,  and  we  commenced  beating  the  bush  and 
forcing  them  down  until  they  were  forced  upon  the  com- 
pany below,  where  the  Indians  called  for  a  talk,  which  was 
had,  and  satisfactory  terms  were  made  without  more 
bloodshed.  The  Indians  we  were  after  had,  in  the  meantime, 
escaped  and  started  back  across  Siskiyou  Moutains  to  join 
Tip  Tie  tribe.  My  men  captured  two  Indian  ponies. 

I  have  been  thus  prolix  in  the  statement  of  this  affair, 
inasmuch  as  for  rendering  these  people  this  service  at  that 
time  and  at  their  request,  I  was  branded  by  the  agent. 
Skinner,  in  an  official  report,  as  a  leader  of  a  band  of  horse- 

259 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

thieves,  who  had  come  over  and  made  disturbance  with  In- 
dians.then  in  peace  with  whites.  Then,  as  I  do  now,  under 
the  charge  of  Superintendent  Odeneal,  I  held  myself  in 
readiness  to  appear  before  the  District  Court  of  the  United 
States,  to  answer  any  charge  of  crime  they  can  present 
against  me.  I  did  and  do  object  to  false  official  reports,  or 
newspaper  libels,  to  blacken  my  name,  with  whom  I  have 
not  the  pleasure  of  a  personal  acquaintance. 

But  I  have  digressed.  After  learning  that  our  criminals 
had  escaped  through  our  Indian  hostages  and  guides,  we 
struck  their  trail  and  started  again  in  pursuit,  our  com- 
pany reducing  itself  down  to  its  original  number.  Re- 
crossing  the  Siskiyou  Mountains,  we  fell  in  with  Ben 
Wright,  who,  learning  from  a  squaw  with  whom  he  was 
living  that  the  Indians  had  taken  that  course,  he,  with  a 
band  of  Shastas,  had  started  in  pursuit  and  intercepted 
and  captured  them.  We  came  in  together,  and  took  the 
Indians  to  Scott  Valley,  and  there  gave  them  a  fair  trial, 
proving  their  identity  by  both  white  men  and  Indians,  and 
the  Indian  testimony  and  their  own  story,  all  of  which  was 
received  in  evidence.  One  was  found  guilty,  the  other  ac- 
quitted and  set  at  liberty.  Our  present  Superintendent  of 
Instruction,  Professor  G.  K.  Godfrey,  was  one  of  the  jury. 
During  our  absence  the  people  remained  under  great  ex- 
citement, as  all  kinds  of  rumors  were  afloat;  and  our  com- 
pany was  so  small,  and  I  had  started  into  a  country  inhabit- 
ed by  hordes  of  wild  Indians,  and  those  of  Siskiyou  Moun- 
tain and  Rogue  River  Valley  notoriously  warlike.  Old  Scar- 
Face,  of  the  Shastas,  learning  of  the  difficulty  at  Rogue 
River,  contrary  to  advice  given  him  when  we  left,  had  come 
out  from  the  canyon,  appeared  on  the  mountain  lying  east 
of  Yreka,  as  the  Indians  afterwards  told  me,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  letting  the  whites  know  the  trouble,  as  the  roads 
were  waylaid  by  the  Indians  on  the  mountains,  so  that 
travelers  could  not  pass.  As  soon  as  he  was  seen  a  wild 
excitement  ensued,  and  a  company  started  in  pursuit.  Scar- 
Face,  seeing  the  danger,  fled  up  the  Shasta  Valley,  on  foot, 
his  pursuers  after  him  well  mounted.  After  a  race  along 

260 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


the  hills  and  through  the  valleys  for  about  eighteen  miles, 
he  was  finally  captured  and  hanged  upon  a  tree,  at  what 
is  now  called  Scar-Face  Gulch.  His  son,  Bill,  then  became 
chief  of  this  branch  of  the  tribe,  as  successor  to  his  father, 


No.  1  to  the  left,  Tecumseh,  Indian  name  Yum-nis-poc-tis,  mean- 
ing Bead  Breaker. 

2.  Capt.    O.   C.   Applegate,   Bli-was-lock-ie,   meaning   Big    Chief. 

3.  Dave  Hill,  Indian  name  Wal-aik-ski-dat,  meaning  Chief  Side  or 
Chief  by  the  River;  Chief  of  the  Klamath  Indians,  Oregon,  and  one 
of  the  signers  of  the  Great  Treaty  at  Council  Grove,  near  Fort 
Klamath,  Oregon,  with  the  Klamaths,  Modocs  and  Yahooskin  Snakes, 
Oct.  14,  1864.  These  three  were  back  east  with  A.  B.  Meacham  and 
Riddle.  Photo  taken  in  Washington,  D.  C,  1875.  From  the  collection 
of  Capt.  O.  C.  Applegate. 


in  an  usurped  authority  in  the  fight,  for  which  he  had  re- 
ceived the  wound  in  the  face,  whence  the  scar,  which  gave 
him  the  title  among  the  whites.  Peace  was  then  restored, 


261 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

and  all  things  seemed  to  be  moving  along  finely,  and  I, 
with  a  few  others,  started  to  find  a  trail  over  the  moun- 
tains, from  Rogue  River  Valley  to  the  coast.  This  was  a 
very  rugged  trip,  but  was  finally  successful.  On  coming 
near  the  coast  we  found  a  band  of  Indians  and  squaws 
gathering  berries.  We  took  the  Indians  as  prisoners  and 
held  them  as  hostages  for  good  behavior  of  their  tribe 
during  our  investigations.  From  them  we  learned  that  a 
company  had  been  up  by  boat  from  San  Francisco  exploring 
the  bay,  and  had  all  died,  or,  as  we  believed,  been  killed  by 
the  Indians,  they  wearing  some  of  their  clothing.  When  we 
started  back  we  took  our  prisoners  up  to  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  where  we  thought  ourselves  safe,  and  then  sent 
them  back,  and  we  returned  by  the  way  of  Klamath  River 
to  Yreka,  passing  through  a  great  number  of  Indians  but 
without  any  trouble.  We  had  got  out  of  provisions  and 
when,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Salmon  River,  we  made  known 
our  destination  to  the  chief,  Euphippa,  he  took  his  spear 
and  caught  us  some  fish,  but  would  take  no  pay.  Afterward 
he  came  to  Scott's  Valley  to  call  upon  me  several  times. 
After  my  return  to  the  valley  the  young  Indians  we  had  as 
hostages  on  the  River  Heut  came  and  desired  to  live  with 
and  work  for  me.  I  took  Tom  and  kept  him  until  about  the 
time  of  his  death,  he  leaving  while  I  was  on  Rogue  River 
on  business. 

In  1854  or  1855  there  was  one  more  excitement  in  Scott's 
Valley  by  the  whites  fearing  an  attack  from  the  Indians 
from  the  fact  that  they  had  held  a  dance  and  gone  back 
into  the  hills.  Here  it  may  be  well  to  state  a  custom  among 
those  upper  country  Indians,  which  not  being  generally 
understood  by  our  people,  has  led  to  much  difficulty.  It  is 
at  the  commencement  of  the  fishing  season  and  at  its 
close  they  hold  what  is  called  a  fish-dance,  in  which  they 
paint  and  go  through  all  the  performances  of  their  dances 
at  the  opening  and  closing  of  war.  They  also  hold  a  harvest 
dance  when  the  fruits  and  nuts  get  ripe,  but  this  is  of  a 
more  quiet  character,  more  resembling  their  sick  dance, 
when  they  tried  to  cure  their  sick  by  the  influence  of  the 

262 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

combined  mesmerism  of  a  circle  of  Indians,  in  which  they 
are  in  many  instances  very  successful.  But  to  return  to  my 
subject.  Hearing  of  the  gathering  of  the  whites,  and  know- 
ing the  danger  to  our  people  and  property  if  a  war  was 
then  inaugurated,  I  got  on  my  horse  and  rode  to  the  place  of 
redezvous.  After  consulting  it  was  determined  to  fall  upon 
the  Indian  camp  about  daylight  next  morning,  as  it  was 
thought  that  at  that  hour  they  could  mostly  be  killed  and 
easily  conquered.  I  returned  to  my  house,  took  my  young 
Indian,  Tom,  and  started  by  a  circuitous  trail  in  the  moun- 
tains for  the  Indian  camp,  and  before  morning  had  them  all 
removed  to  a  safe  place.  In  a  few  days  all  fears  were  quieted 
and  harmony  was  restored  without  the  loss  of  any  lives  or 
destruction  of  property.  About  this  time  a  young  Indian 
from  Humbug  Creek,  visiting  the  Scott  Valley  Indians,  had 
stopped  at  an  emigrant  camp  and  stolen  two  guns.  Word 
was  brought  to  me ;  I  sent  for  Chief  John  and  required  him 
to  bring  the  guns  and  Indian,  which  he  did.  I  tied  and 
whipped  the  Indian,  and  then  let  him  go.  Late  in  the  fall, 
afterwards,  I  was  sitting  near  the  top  of  the  mountain  back 
of  my  then  house,  witnessing  a  deer-drive  by  the  Scott 
Valley  Indians  on  the  surrounding  hills,  when  I  heard  a  cap 
crack  behind  me  in  a  clump  of  small  trees.  Getting  up  and 
immediately  running  into  the  thicket,  I  discovered  an  In- 
dian running  down  the  opposite  slope  of  the  mountain.  I 
returned  to  my  house  and  sent  Tom  after  Chief  John  and 
from  him  learned  that  when  he  left  this  Humbug  was  there. 
I  directed  him  to  bring  him  to  my  house,  which  he  did  next 
morning.  The  Humbug  Indian  told  me  it  was  not  the  first 
time  he  had  tried  to  kill  me,  but  that  his  gun  had  failed  him, 
and  now  that  he  and  all  the  Indians  thought  I  had  a  charmed 
life.  I  gave  him  a  good  talk,  which  impressed  him  much, 
and  then  unbound  him,  and  told  him  to  go  and  do  well 
thereafter.  He  was  never  known  to  do  a  bad  act  after- 
ward, but  was  finally  killed  by  the  Klamath  Lake  Indians, 
about  a  year  afterwards,  in  an  effort  to  recover  some  guns 
stolen  from  his  people  on  Greenhorn  Creek.  All  these 
things  tended  to  establish  with  me  a  great  control  over 

263 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

these  Indians  in  these  valleys.  During  this  time  Judge 
Roseborough,  now  our  District  Judge,  came  up  here  as  an 
Indian  agent,  and  for  a  year  or  more  made  his  home  with 
me.  In  his  whole  intercourse  with  the  Indians  he  was 
scrupulously  careful  to  do  exact  justice  toward  the  Indians, 
and  compel  a  like  care  by  both  our  people  and  the  Indians 
toward  each  other.  This  led  to  a  better  acquaintance  on 
my  part  with  the  Klamath  Lake  and  Modoc  Indians,  who 
came  several  times  to  see  him.  After  that,  my  business 
occupying  my  whole  time,  it  was  only  occasionally  that  I 
saw  any  of  the  Indians  to  hold  conversation  with  them,  and 
then  only  when  called  upon  to  settle  some  difficulty  among 
the  tribe,  or  between  them  and  our  people.  During  this 
time,  and  if  my  memory  serves  me  right,  in  1855,  the  Shas- 
tas,  for  some  cause  unknown  to  me,  became  hostile  and 
took  refuge  in  a  cave  on  the  north  side  of  Klamath  River, 
and  about  thirty-five  miles  from  Yreka.  They  then  were 
quite  numerous,  well  armed,  and  skillful  in  the  use  of  the 
gun.  Here  they  repulsed  a  large  company  of  volunteers 
with  heavy  loss  to  the  whites,  and  finally  two  companies  of 
regulars  were  driven  from  the  field.  Learning  of  the  dif- 
ficulty, and  judging  the  Indians  were  not  wholly  to  blame, 
I  proposed  to  Lieutenant  Bonicastle,  then  stationed  at  Fort 
Jones,  and  Judge  Roseborough  to  accompany  me,  and  with 
Tolo  and  another  Indian  to  visit  their  company,  and  arrange 
terms  of  peace.  We  went  and  spent  two  days  with  them, 
before  arriving  at  a  solution  of  the  difficulty.  During  this 
time  they  several  times  pointed  their  guns  at  us  with  a  de- 
termination to  shoot,  but  as  often  were  talked  into  a  better 
turn  of  mind,  and  finally  agreed  to  go  and  live  at  Fort 
Jones,  and  remain  in  peace  with  the  whites.  The  third  day 
thereafter  was  settled  upon  for  their  removal,  when  Boni- 
castle was  to  send  a  company  of  soldiers  to  escort  and  pro- 
tect them.  In  the  next  day  a  white  man,  who  had  a  squaw 
at  the  cave,  went  out  unknown  to  us  and  told  the  Indians 
he  was  sent  for  them  and  thereupon  they  packed  up  and 
started  for  Fort  Jones  with  him,  one  day  ahead  of  time 
agreed  upon.    On  their  way  in  Klamath  River,  about  twenty 

264 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

miles  from  Yreka,  they  were  waylaid,  and  their  chief,  Bill, 
shot  from  behind  the  brush  and  killed.  They  kept  their 
faith,  nevertheless,  and  came  in,  when  I  explained  it  so  they 
were  satisfied.  This  was  known  to  the  Modocs  and  they 
talked  of  it  on  our  last  visit  to  the  cave.  Occasionally  there-: 
after  I  was  applied  to  on  matters  of  trifling  moment  and 
easily  arranged,  until  my  appointment  to  the  Indian  Super- 
intendency,  in  the  summer  of  1863,  for  the  northern  dis- 
trict of  California.  In  this  narration  I  have  passed  over 
several  Rogue  River  wars  without  notice,  as  I  had  nothing 
to  do  with  them;  also  the  Modoc  War  of  1852,  which  took 
place  whilst  I  was  away  at  Crescent  City,  therefore  all  I 
know  of  that  was  hearsay;  but  I  know  it  was  generally 
known  that  Ben  Wright  had  concocted  the  plan  of  poison- 
ing those  Indians  at  a  feast,  and  chat  his  interpreter  Indian, 
Livile,  had  exposed  to  the  Indians,  so  that  but  few  ate  of 
the  meat,  and  that  Wright  and  his  company  then  fell  upon 
the  Indians  and  forty  out  of  forty-seven,  and  one  other, 
died  of  the  poison  afterward.  There  is  one  of  the  company 
now  in  the  country  who  gives  this  version,  and  I  heard 
Wright  swearing  about  Dr.  Ferrber,  our  druggist  (now  of 
Vallejo),  selling  him  an  adulterated  article  of  strychnine, 
which  he  said  the  doctor  wanted  to  kill  the  coyotes.  That 
the  plan  was  concocted  before  they  left  Yreka  defeats  the 
claim  now  made  for  them,  that  they  only  anticipated  the 
treachery  of  the  Indians.  John  Schonchin  was  one  of  the 
Indians  that  escaped  and  in  late  interview  then  he  made 
this  as  an  excuse  for  not  coming  out  to  meet  the  Commis- 
sioners. The  story  of  the  Indians  corresponds  so  well  with 
that  I  have  frequently  heard  from  our  own  people,  before 
it  became  so  much  of  a  disgrace  by  the  reaction,  that  I  have 
no  doubt  of  the  correction  in  its  general  details.  At  the 
time  others,  as  well  as  myself,  told  Wright  that  the  trans- 
action would  at  some  time  react  fearfully  upon  some  inno- 
cent ones  of  our  people,  but  so  long  a  time  had  elapsed  that 
I  had  concluded  that  matter  was  nearly  forgotten  by  all, 
and  nothing  come  of  it  until  the  night  of  my  second  visit  in 
the  cave,  when  Schonchin  would  get  very  excited  talkiq||^of 

265 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

it  as  an  excuse  for  not  going  out.  The  history  of  that  night 
you  have  probably  seen  as  it  was  given  by  Article  B,  the 
Sacramento  Record  and  San  Francisco  Chronicle,  for  which 
paper  he  was  corresponding ;  he  was  wild ;  he  was  with  me 
•the  whole  time  after.  A  final  peace  was  made  with  the  Mo- 
docs,  but  the  year  is  now  out  of  my  mind ;  about  1857  or  '58 
they  came  to  Yreka  with  horses,  money  and  furs  to  trade 
and  get  provisions  and  blankets.  On  their  way  out  they 
were  waylaid  at  Shasta  River,  as  was  claimed  by  Shasta 
Indians,  and  several  killed  and  robbed  and  thrown  into  the 
river.  Many  of  our  citizens  thought  white  men  were  con- 
nected with  this  murder,  and  it  is  probably  so.  The  Shasta 
Indians  retreated;  they  claim  that  but  few  of  their  people 
were  engaged  in  the  massacre,  but  it  was  mostly  done  by 
the  white  people;  nd  in  their  negotiations  for  peace  in  the 
spring  of  1864  mentioned  hereafter. 

But  to  return  to  the  thread  of  my  history.  On  taking 
possession  of  the  Superintendency  of  September,  1863,  I 
found  the  Klamath  Lakes,  the  Modocs  and  the  Shastas  in 
war  with  each  other,  the  Humboldt  and  the  Mendocino 
Indians  in  war  with  our  people,  the  few  on  the  reservations 
naked  and  dying  of  starvation,  and  truly  a  heart-rending 
scene.  As  soon  as  possible  I  furnished  them  relief;  and  af- 
ter the  second  day,  none  died  of  hunger  or  want,  and  in  a 
short  time  I  had  the  Humboldt  War  closed,  the  Indians,  as 
far  as  desired,  on  the  reservation  and  cheerfully  at  work, 
and  the  next  July  found  the  products  of  their  labor  equal 
to  all  their  wants.  For  the  next  year  I  was  legislated  out 
of  office  by  Mr.  Conness,  our  Senator,  Mr.  Lincoln  having 
refused  to  remove  me  at  his  request.  In  the  spring  of  1864, 
on  returning  home  from  a  trip  to  San  Francisco  I  found  my 
lot  adjoining  my  house  south  of  Yreka  (since  burned)  filled 
With  Indians  of  the  Modoc,  Klamath,  Lake,  Shasta,  Scott 
River,  Salmon  River,  Klamath  River  and  Sacramento  River 
tribes,  numbering  several  hundred,  and  awaiting  my  com- 
ing. My  wife  had  been  lecturing  them  upon  the  best  way  to 
live  with  each  other,  and  with  our  people,  and  that  they 
were  more  than  ready  to  enter  into  treaties  with  each  other, 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

and  with  us;  the  work  left  for  me  to  do  in  arranging  all 
matters  was  light  and  two  days  found  them  all  happy  and 
friends;  at  this  time  all  were  so  well  pleased  that  they 
agreed  that  I  should  be  chief  over  them  all,  and,  when  any 
difficulty  arose  among  them,  that  it  should  be  submitted 
to  me,  and  my  decree  should  be  binding.  This  proposition 
came  from  Captain  Jack,  the  chief  of  the  Modocs,  and 
cheerfully  agreed  to  by  all.  I  called  quite  a  number  of  our 
citizens  to  join  the  treaty,  and  from  that  day  to  the  out- 
break of  the  war,  they  have  troubled  me  with  their  dif- 
ficulties, which  have  generally  been  decided  to  their  sat- 
isfaction. After  this  I  was  removed  from  office  and  Rose- 
borough  was  on  the  bench.  I  frequently  persuaded  them  to 
go  to  him,  as  he  was  the  Boston  Tyee,  and  they  always 
looked  upon  him  with  great  respect.  So,  among  us,  we  have 
managed  to  keep  peace  until  last  November.  As  to  the 
charge  through  the  Oregon  papers  and  the  reports  of  Sup- 
erintendent Odeneal,  that  I  advised  them  to  leave  the  res- 
ervation, or  that  I  advised  them  to  remain  off  the  reser- 
vation, or  to  resist  the  authorities  in  trying  to  take  them 
back,  or  that  I  at  any  time  gave  them  encouragement  of 
being  able  to  cope  with  the  soldiers;  or  that  by  any  word 
or  act  of  mine  they  had  been  induced  to  commence  or  con- 
tinue the  war,  or  that  I  am  or  have  been  a  squaw  man,  or 
that  I  have  or  had  half-breed  children  in  the  Lava  Beds 
or  elsewhere,  or  that  I  have  had  intercourse  with  squaws, 
or  that  I  was  a  spy  in  favor  of  the  Indians,  advising  them  of 
the  movement  of  troops,  or  that  I  advised  them  or  encour- 
aged General  Canby,  Mr.  Thomas,  Mr.  Meacham  or  others 
to  go  in  the  Lava  Beds  to  meet  Captain  Jack  and  his  tribe 
in  council,  or  that  I  have  written  letters  to  Captain  Jack 
or  other  Indians,  or  that  I  ever  proposed  to  marry  Queen 
Mary,  or  that  I  ever  wrote  any  letters  certified  to  by  Mrs. 
Lehira,  or  that  she  ever  saw  any  letters  from  me  of  the 
import  of  the  one  she  certified  to,  is  simply  and  unequiv- 
ocally false,  severally  and  collectively,  and  the  authors  of 
these  several  charges,  whoever  they  are  or  may  be,  are  low, 
contemptible  cowards,  spending  time  in  secret,  in  trying  to 

267 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

traduce  the  character  of  one  they  do  not  know  and  would 
not  if  they  should  meet  him  on  the  street;  and  further, 
here,  where  I  have  been  known  for  twenty  years,  they 
could  not  find  one  respectable  witness  that  would  make 
either  of  these  charges,  and  much  less  swear  to  them  or  any 
one  of  them. 

Now,  a  few  words  as  to  the  facts  in  the  case.  Some  time 
after  Captain  Jack  and  party  had  left  the  reservation,  they 
called  upon  me,  and  stated  what  they  had  done  on  the  res- 
ervation (all  of  which  had  been  confirmed  to  me  by  Mr. 
Meacham  and  others) ,  and  why  they  had  left,  claiming  that 
instead  of  feeding  them,  they  had  been  obliged  to  kill  their 
horses  for  food,  and  instead  of  a  pair  of  blankets  only  one 
or,  as  they  called  it,  half  a  blanket,  had  been  given  to  each 
of  the  adults,  and  but  half  of  that  to  each  of  their  children, 
and  those  of  an  inferior  quality;  they  looked  squalid  and 
poor,  more  so  than  I  had  ever  seen  them  before  or  since. 
My  advice  to  them,  and  always  has  been,  was  to  return  to 
the  reservation,  and  further,  that  the  officers  would  compel 
theni  to  go.  They  replied  they  would  not  go,  and  asked  why 
the  treaty  I  had  made  with  them  when  I  was  Superinten- 
dent of  the  northern  district  of  California — then  supposing 
the  State  line  included  their  village,  the  fishery — was  not 
lived  up  to.  They  said  they  were  to  give  up  all  the  balance 
of  their  lands,  would  ask  nothing  for  it ;  would  take  care  of 
themselves  as  fish  and  fowl  were  abundant  there;  and  that 
white  man's  cattle  might  graze  there  and  they  would  not 
disturb  them;  and  that  when  people  came  there  to  cross 
the  river  they  would  assist  them.  I  told  them  they  had  made 
a  new  treaty  with  the  Oregon  agency  since  I  sold  their 
lands,  and  that  done  away  with  the  one.  Jack  said  that  he 
did  not  agree  to  it,  but  old  Schonchin  did;  but  he  was  no 
chief.  But  he  finally  went  to  the  reservation,  as  they  made 
him  such  good  promises,  and  all  his  friends  wanted  him  to 
go;  but  when  he  got  there  he  said  none  of  their  promises 
were  kept.  I  frequently  urged  upon  him  the  power  and 
number  of  our  people ;  and  that  it  would  be  folly  to  resist — 
all  to  no  response.  I  have  written  several  letters  for  him 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

to  the  settlers,  in  which  I  stated  his  words  to  them,  as  he 
said  that  there  were  many  that  could  not  talk  to  him  or  he 
to  them;  and  that  he  wanted  them  to  know  that  he  was 
determined  to  be  a  friend  of  the  white  people,  and  wanted 
to  learn  their  way  of  living.  Always  when  he  came  to  town, 
when  I  was  home,  he  called  and  stated  his  purpose  in  visit- 
ing Yreka,  at  which  time  I  would  advise  him  not  to  let  his 
men  and  women  get  whisky  or  remain  in  town  after  sun- 
down. That  some  did  remain  and  did  drink  whisky  is  true, 
but  they  were  generally  women  that  were  claimed  by  and 
living  with  white  men,  either  in  the  vicinity  of  Yreka  or  on 
the  frontier,  and  would  come  here  and  meet  with  relatives 
and  tribes.  I  have  never  known  Jack  to  take  a  glass  of 
liquor  in  my  life,  and  I  have  known  him  to  whip  his  men 
for  taking  it.  After  trading  they  uniformly  came  to  bid  me 
good-bye  and  ask  a  letter  to  pass  them  back  to  their  country 
so  that  if  they  should  meet  strangers  they  could  show  them 
it  was  all  right,  and  they  need  not  be  afraid.  All  this  put 
me  to  much  trouble,  but  for  which  I  received  no  compen- 
sation of  any  sort.  As  for  my  being  their  attorney,  it  is 
simply  absurd.  All  my  acts  were  in  the  cause  of  humanity, 
and  to  avoid,  if  possible,  any  collision  with  our  people,  as  I 
knew  them,  and  know  if  properly  managed,  there  was  no 
cause;  for  one  white  settler  frequently  came  in  from  'heir 
country  and  corroborated  their  stories  and  all  that  I  saw 
gave  them  a  good  character. 

In  the  fall  of  1871,  the  first  time  for  twenty  years,  on  my 
return  from  a  business  trip  to  Surprise  Valley,  in  company 
with  Mr.  H.  C.  Tichnor,  I  came  through  the  country  of  the 
Modocs.  We  had  to  sleep  out  one  night,  which  we  did  at  the 
foot  of  Tule  Lake.  In  the  morning  early  we  started  for 
Miller's  (since  killed  by  Indians),  ten  miles  distant,  to  get 
some  breakfast.  We  found  Miller  out  at  the  time,  but  his 
house  all  open  and  no  way  to  close  it  up.  Miller  soon  came 
in,  and  set  about  boiling  us  some  coffee.  I  found  he  had  a 
good  supply  of  flour,  bacon,  beef,  etc.,  on  hand  and  in  that 
open  cabin,  and  asked  him  if  the  Indians  did  not  steal  from 
him.  He  replied  that  he  had  been  there  for  several  years,  and 

269 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

had  always  left  his  cabin  open  in  that  way  day  and  night, 
and  had  never  lost  anything  by  the  Indians  that  he  knew. 
That  the  Indians  provided  for  themselves,  by  fishing  and 
hunting,  and  the  only  fear  he  had  was  that  the  reservation 
people  would  try  to  remove  them,  and  would  create  war,  in 
which  settlers  would  be  sacrificed;  for,  said  he,  they  are 
determined  to  die,  rather  than  be  taken  back  to  the  reser- 
vation; and  you  know  how  inaccessible  portions  of  the 
country  are,  and  if  an  outbreak  should  occur  it  would  be  a 
severe  struggle,  in  which  many  valuable  lives  and  innocent 
people  would  be  lost.  How  well  he  prophesied!  And  he  and 
Brotherton,  both  good  men,  and  as  good  friends  to  the 
Indians  as  any,  fell  victims  to  this  ill-advised  project.  Pass- 
ing to  the  Indian  village  we  found  only  a  portion  of  the  tribe 
there ;  the  balance  of  them  went  with  Captain  Jack,  having 
come  to  Yreka,  to  purchase  their  winter  supplies.  The  few 
that  were  there  expressed  a  fear  that  the  soldiers  were 
coming  after  them,  and  wished  to  know  if  I  knew  anything 
about  it.  I  did  not,  but  tried  to  quiet  their  fears,  telling 
them  that  the  big  chief  would  send  a  man.  to  ,tell  them  when 
he  wanted  them  to  go.  Coming  to  Ball's  ranch  the  like 
character  was  given  to  the  Indians  as  by  Miller,  and  about 
dusk  Captain  Jack  and  company  came  and  camped  close 
by.  On  their  return  from  Yreka,  whilst  talking  with  Jack, 
he  expressed  fears  of  trouble  because  a  white  man  had 
come  and  settled  in  their  midst  and  claimed  their  land,  and 
said  that  he  was  all  the  time  quarreling  with  them.  I  ad- 
vised him  to  go  to  the  soldier-chief  at  Fort  Klamath,  and 
get  him  to  furnish  protection.  In  1873  I  came  past  there 
again,  and  found  the  Brothertons  settled  near  Miller's.  Mrs. 
B.  and  the  children  only  were  home,  Mr.  B.  and  Mr.  M.  be- 
ing absent  for  winter  supplies  at  Rogue  River.  Mrs.  B. 
then  told  me  that  the  Indians  were  very  much  excited  be- 
cause they  had  been  told  they  were  to  be  taken  back  to 
the  reservation.  I  remained  all  night.  The  next  morning  be- 
fore leaving  a  squaw  came  along,  and  upon  inquiry  I 
learned  that  Captain  Jack  and  his  men  had  gone  south  and 
she  expressed  wonder  that  I  had  not  met  them.  As  we  did 

270 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

not,  he  must  have  turned  off  at  the  road  and  gone  to  the 
Lava  Beds.  Shortly  before  this,  Mr.  Miller  had  been  to  Yreka 
to  procure  my  professional  services  in  making  application 
for  a  tract  of  swamp  land  lying  near  his  residence,  which 
as  yet  had  not  been  surveyed.  I  made  out  his  application, 
and  sent  to  Mr.  Varrium,  our  County  Surveyor,  in  accord- 
ance with  our  laws.  After  finishing  business  he  spoke  on  the 
Indian  matter  again,  and  said  one  Monroe  and  they  were 
having  much  trouble,  and  that  Monroe  wanted  their  land 
and  had  applied  to  the  Indian  Department  to  have  them 
removed;  and  that  he  feared  it  would  cause  war;  and  that 
the  lives  of  the  settlers  would  not  be  safe,  as  they  deter- 
mined not  to  return  to  the  reservation.  He  wished  he  knew 
why,  as  they  were  industrious  and  peaceable,  they  could 
not  be  allowed  to  take  up  farms  there  as  others  did,  and 
remain.  I  told  him  my  opinion  was  they  could  if  they  would 
give  up  their  tribal  character,  pay  taxes,  and  improve  the 
land.  He  said  that  was  what  they  wanted  to  do.  I  told  them 
I  would  make  the  application  for  them  to  the  Department 
and  get  their  answer.  I  did  not  immediately  sit  down  to 
work,  as  other  business  was  pressing,  but  thought  I  should 
see  him  the  next  morning,  but  before  leisure  presented 
he  had  returned  home.  Soon  afterwards  the  Indians  came 
in  and  told  me  that  Miller  had  told  them  I  would  ask  the 
big  chief  to  give  them  land  if  they  would  pay  taxes,  and 
which  they  said  they  would  do.  I  sat  down  and  made  the 
application,  and  found  my  observation  of  the  country  they 
actually  wanted  so  limited,  and  their  want  of  knowledge  of 
all  points  of  the  compass,  that  I  could  not  make  an  intelli- 
gible application.  I  had  also  just  received  a  note  from  the 
County  Surveyor  saying  he  could  not  go  out  to  make  Miller's 
survey,  and  therefore  I  wrote  to  Miller  the  letter  that  was 
afterward  taken  from  his  house,  and  by  Sperintendent 
Odeneal  reported  to  government  as  evidence  of  my  guilt. 
The  note  barely  stated  that  my  knowledge  was  not  suf- 
ficient to  enable  me  to  make  out  the  application  and  that  I 
had  not  required  the  Indians  to  pay  taxes,  and  that  I  would 
have  to  send  to  Sacramento  City,  California,  to  get  a  sur- 

271 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

veyor  appointed,  and  also  asking  him  to  send  me  by  an 
Indian  a  description  of  the  land  wanted  by  the  Indians. 
I  never  received  an  answer.  The  war  was  precipitated  too 
soon,  and  Miller  was  not  at  home  as  I  came  by  there,  but 
I  then  found  by  personal  observation  that  the  land  desired 
by  the  Indians  was  about  three  miles  long  and  not  over  a 
mile  in  width,  and  much  of  it  covered  by  sage  brush,  but 
with  very  superior  fishery  upon  it.  At  the  last  interview 
with  Captain  Jack  I  tried  to  persuade  him  that  he  had  bet- 
ter go  to  the  reservation,  but  I  confess  that  it  was  as  much 
to  avoid  trouble  and  expense  that  would  fall  upon  me  in 
getting  the  land  grant  through  for  them,  as  from  any  other 
motive,  as  I  did  not  think  any  reasonable  Superintendent 
would  try  to  move  them.  I  yet  believe  that  if  Superinten- 
dent Odeneal  had  gone  down  there  instead  of  sending  the 
soldiers  to  surprise  them  in  the  night,  all  could  have  been 
quietly  settled.  Now,  as  for  Mr.  Odeneal,  he  has  threatened 
my  prosecution.  There  is  a  court  for  the  United  States  for 
this  district  government  to  back  him  in  expenses.  I  have 
to  bear  my  own  and  suffer  the  loss  of  time.  Now,  then,  if, 
instead  of  false  reports  and  libelous  articles  in  the  news- 
papers, he  will  enter  this  prosecution,  I  will  agree  to  ventil- 
ate the  whole  matter,  and  if  I  am  guilty,  I  will  cheerfully 
submit  to  the  penalty.  At  this  last  interview  with  Captain 
Jack  his  reply  was  very  determined,  that  he  would  not  go 
to  the  reservation  to  be  starved.  I  told  him  of  the  great 
number  and  power  of  our  people,  and  the  futility  of  resis- 
tance, to  which  he  listened  with  his  usual  stoical  composure, 
and  then  replied,  ''Kill  with  bullet  don't  hurt  much,  starve 
to  death  hurt  a  heap!" 

This  was  said  through  the  interpreter,  Scar-Face  Char- 
ley. In  all  my  intercourse  with  Indians,  I  have  only  talked 
or  held  communion  with  their  leading  men,  and  have  never 
indulged  in  any  jesting  or  sociability  with  them.  When  I 
needed  one  for  a  messenger,  as  I  occasionally  did,  when  they 
were  in,  by  which  to  send  a  letter  to  Mr.  Davis  or  Fair- 
child,  or  others  on  the  frontier  where  there  were  no  mail 
facilities,  I  always  applied  to  the  chief  for  a  man  for  ser- 

272 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

vice.  Captain  Jack  talks  no  English,  except  the  names  of  a 
few  articles  in  trade,  and  no  jargon,  and  as  far  as  my  know- 
ledge of  him  is  concerned,  he  always  brought  to  the  con- 
ference an  interpreter,  and  usually  for  that  purpose  Scar- 
Face  Charley.  A  word  as  to  the  charge  of  treacherous  dis- 
position of  this  people.  This  is  a  charge  instituted  since  the 
treacherous  massacre  of  General  Canby  and  Mr.  Thomas, 
but  before  that  no  one  can  point  to  an  act  of  treachery  on 
their  part ;  but  on  the  contrary  they  were  known  as  a  bold 
and  fearless  people,  warlike,  and  a  dread  to  our  early  emi- 
grants and  the  surrounding  tribes,  and  very  punctilious 
to  their  word,  so  far  as  I  have  occasion  to  know.  My  visit 
to  the  cave  at  the  request  of  the  Commissioners,  as  the 
Indians  expressed  a  confidence  in  me  and  wanted  my  ad- 
vice ;  and  yet  I  think  had  it  not  been  for  a  by-play  at  that 
time  I  could  have  persuaded  them  to  terms,  but  they  were 
frightened  out  of  it,  by  the  threat  of  hanging  on  the  Jack- 
sonville indictment.  That  desire  for  revenge  has  cost  us 
dearly  in  blood.  I  went  in  the  cause  of  humanity  at  a  great 
sacrifice  of  my  time  and  at  great  personal  risk,  asked  no 
pay  for  my  time,  but  did  expect  a  return  of  my  cash  ex- 
penses, but  even  that  has  not  been  allowed  by  the  Indian 
Bureau.  My  conscience  is  clear,  and  I  know  the  blood  of  the 
murdered  white  men  or  Indians  will  not  cry  out  in  judg- 
ment against  me.  I  only  wish  that  the  war  was  prosecuted 
by  those  in  person  who  are  so  earnestly  urging  it  on  from 
the  first,  instead  of  their  remaining  at  so  respectable  a  dis- 
tance ;  as  the  Indians  and  those  men  feel,  I  could  see  a  war 
go  on  between  them  if  it  could  be  confined  to  them  and  not 
have  my  bowels  of  compassion  moved  much  on  either  side. 
The  Lava  Bed  is  about  four  miles  wide  by  seven  long,  and 
the  Indians  in  these  not  exceeding  100  men,  women  and 
children,  and  they  mean  to  stay  there  as  long  as  they  can. 
The  location  is  the  most  inaccessible  of  any  part  of  the 
world  I  ever  saw,  and  one  man  fairly  secreted  in  it  is  more 
than  equal  to  twenty  engaged  in  trying  to  ferret  him  out. 
As  for  the  generals  that  have  been  engaged  in  prosecut- 
ing the  war :  General  Wheaton  I  have  not  had  the  pleasure 

273 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

of  meeting,  but  I  think  under  the  very  unfavorable  circum- 
stances of  his  attack,  the  limited  knowledge  of  the  strong- 
hold which  he  possessed,  and  the  few  men  under  his  charge, 
he  performed  wonders  and  should  not  have  been  super- 
seded. General  Gillem  I  knew,  and  a  more  gallant  gentle- 
man and  soldier  you  will  hardly  find,  and  in  prosecuting  the 
war  he  has  shown  masterly  skill.  The  late  massacre,  I  think, 
could  not  properly  be  charged  upon  him,  as  there  were  men 
enough  there  to  defend  themselves,  had  they  not  been  taken 
by  surprise.  My  advice  to  General  Canby  and  the  Peace 
Commissioners  on  my  return  from  the  cave  the  last  time 
was  that  all  negotiations  should  cease,  until  the  Indians 
should  become  the  soliciting  party.  I  told  them  further  that 
my  opinion  was  that  they  thought  our  people  afraid  of 
them  and  that  they  were  carrying  on  the  negotiations  with 
a  hope  to  get  General  Canby  and  Gillem,  Messrs.  Meacham 
and  Applegate,  in  their  power,  and  in  such  an  event  they 
would  certainly  kill  them  all.  I  thought  I  could  go,  no  one 
else  could  safely,  and  that  I  have  witnesses  to  that;  yet  I 
also  met  Mr.  Thomas  at  Yreka,  on  his  way  out,  when  he 
desired  me  to  accompany  him.  I  gave  him  the  same  caution, 
and  told  him  as  well  as  I  knew  them,  I  would  not  feel  safe 
in  going  again  to  the  Indians.  I  went  out  to  see  the  Indians 
once  after  my  visit  to  the  cave,  but  General  Canby  and 
Gillem  then  felt  the  danger  so  great  that  they  were  in- 
clined not  to  let  me  go;  but  as  parties  claimed  there  was 
a  misunderstanding,  I  told  them  I  would  go  to  the  rendez- 
vous, and  if  all  was  right,  I  would  bring  them  in ;  and  if  they 
killed  me  it  would  be  only  one  instead  of  six  or  eight.  To 
test  the  question  I  went  to  the  place  designated,  found  no 
Indians  or  signs ;  went  on  about  ten  miles  farther,  yet  found 
no  Indians,  and  returned  about  dark,  and  then  returned  to 
Yreka. 

Yreka,  May  26th,  1873. 
Dear  Sir  : 

The  above  is  a  copy  of  the  hastily  prepared  paper  to  my 
brother,  who  has  seen  the  charges  in  the  Oregon  papers  and 

274 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

felt  much  alarmed  at  it.  In  it  I  have  only  noticed  the  lead- 
ing questions  and  those  falling  under  my  observations  with 
all  the  contradictory  reports  it  will  be  found  my  judgment 
of  the  purpose  of  the  Indians  was  uniformly  correct.  I 
have  been  so  long  on  the  frontier  and  have  seen  the  natives 
in  their  native  disgusting  state  that  I  have  no  special  re- 
gard for  them  further  than  making  out  justice,  and  I  have 
none  of  the  poetry  entertained  by  many  that  do  not  know 
them.  The  Modocs  are  generally  a  whiter  tribe  of  Indians 
than  any  other  that  I  have  met  with ;  Captain  Jack  is  very 
dignified  generally  and  is  a  full-blood  Modoc.  Scar-Face 
Charley  is  one  of  the  Rogue  River  Tipue  Tie's  tribe,  extinct. 
I  have  just  arranged  at  the  suggestion  of  a  member  of 
Congress,  Luttrell,  for  all  the  straggling  Indians  of  various 
tribes  surrounding  us  to  go  to  Fort  Jones  military  reser- 
vation in  Scott  Valley,  and  remain  under  supervision.  They 
are  highly  pleased,  but  they  have  been  under  great  fear 
ever  since  the  Modoc  War  broke  out  and  were  nearly  starv- 
ing from  the  fact  that  they  did  not  hunt,  fish  or  dig  for 
roots  from  fear  from  both  whites  and  Modocs.  They  desire 
a  tract  of  country  between  Scott  and  Shasta  Valley  called 
Moffitt's  Creek,  a  valley  about  twelve  miles  long  and  one- 
half  mile  wide,  and  that  they  have  a  little  assistance  of 
seeds  and  tools  and  be  allowed  to  take  care  of  it  themselves. 
The  application  of  part  of  the  appropriation  that  had  been 
made  for  the  Shastas,  but  of  which  they  have  never  re- 
ceived a  dollar,  would  be  all  that  would  be  required,  if  they 
had  no  white  man  over  them.  They  are  industrious  and 
know  how  to  farm.  One  of  the  tribe  has  here  a  farm  of 
200  acres  and  close  on  the  north  side  of  the  Klamath  River 
and  I  have  advised  him  to  stay  there.  He  has  his  log  house, 
quite  a  number  of  fruit  trees  growing  and  is  very  ambitious, 
and  this  example  inspires  the  others.  Were  I  in  moderate 
circumstances,  so  that  I  could  offer  to  go  out  and  teach 
them  occasionally  I  could  do  much  good.  But  I  am  not 
thus  favored. 

E.  Steele. 


275 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

MAJOR  FRANK  WHEATON 

Frank  Wheaton,  born  in  Rhode  Island.  Appointed  from 
Rhode  Island  first  lieutenant  First  Cavalry,  March  3,  1855. 
Captain  First  Cavalry,  March  1861;  Fourth  Cavalry,  Aug- 
ust, 1861 ;  lieutenant-colonel  Second  Rhode  Island  Infantry, 
July  10,  1861;  colonel  Twenty-first  Infantry,  July,  1861; 
brigadier  General  Volunteers,  November  29,  1862;  honor 
major  Second  Cavalry,  November  5,  1863 ;  brevette  lieuten- 
ant colonel.  May  5,  1864,  for  gallantry  and  meritorious  ser- 
vice in  the  Battle  of  the  Wilderness.  Major  general  of 
volunteers,  November  29,  1864,  for  gallantry  and  meritor- 
ious service  in  the  Battle  of  Cedar  Creek,  Virginia;  briga- 
dier general,  March  13,  1865,  for  gallantry  and  meritorious 
service  in  the  capture  of  Petersburg,  Virginia;  major  gen- 
eral, March  13,  1865,  for  gallantry  and  meritorious  service 
in  the  field  during  the  war  and  for  gallantry  and  meritor- 
ious service  in  the  Battle  of  Opequean,  Fisher's  Hill  and 
Middletown,  Virginia.  Honorably  mustered  out  of  volun- 
teer service,  April  30,  1866.  Lieutenant  colonel  Thirty- 
ninth  Infantry,  July  20,  1866;  transferred  to  the  Twenty- 
first  Infantry,  March  15,  1869. 

Served  in  the  Modoc  campaign  of  1872  and  '73  as  lieu- 
tenant colonel  of  Twenty-first  Infantry;  colonel  Second 
Infantry,  December  15,  1874;  brigadier  general,  April  18, 
1892,  and  major  general,  April  21,  1897.  Retired  May  8, 
1897. 

He  surrounded  the  Modoc  stronghold  with  400  U.  S.  sol- 
diers, January  16,  1873,  in  his  attempt  to  capture  Captain 
Jack  and  his  band  of  Modoc  warriors. 

Major  General  Frank  Wheaton  died  June  18,  1903,  at 
Washington,  D.  C. 

GENERAL  A.  C.  GILLEM 
Alvin  Cullen  Gillem  was  born  in  Jackson  County,  Ten- 
nessee, July  29th,  1830.  He  was  graduated  from  the  U.  S. 
Military  Academy  in  1851;  took  part  in  the  Seminole  War 
in  1851-52,  and  was  promoted  captain  May  14,  1861.  He 
served  as  brigade  quartermaster  at  the  commencement  of 

276 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

the  Civil  War.  Earned  the  brevet  of  major  for  gallantry 
at  Mill  Springs  and  was  in  command  of  the  siege  artillery 
and  chief  quartermaster  of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio  in  the 
Tennessee  campaign  in  May,  1862.  He  was  appointed  col- 
onel of  the  Tenth  Tennessee  Colonel  Volunteers,  was  provo- 
marshal  of  Nashville,  commanded  a  brigade  in  the  Tennes- 
see operations  of  the  early  part  of  1863,  and  then  served  as 
adjutant  general  until  the  end  of  the  war,  being  promoted 
brigadier  general  of  volunteers,  August  17,  1863.  He  had 
charge  of  the  forces  guarding  the  Nashville  and  North- 
western Railroad  from  June,  1863,  until  August,  1864.  Af- 
terwards commanded  the  expedition  to  Eastern  Tennessee 
and  won  the  brevette  of  colonel  in  the  U.  S.  Army  for  brav- 
ery at  Marion,  Virginia.  He  was  elected  vice-president  of 
the  convention  of  January  9th,  1865,  to  revise  the  Constitu- 
tion and  to  organize  a  State  government  of  Tennessee,  and 
also  served  in  the  first  Legislature.  He  joined  the  expedi- 
tion to  North  Carolina  and  took  a  priminent  part  in  the 
capture  of  Salisbury,  which  secured  him  the  brevette  of 
major  general  in  the  U.  S.  Army.  He  became  colonel  of  the 
regular  army  July  28,  1866,  commanding  the  district  of 
Mississippi,  1867-68.  Served  in  Texas  and  California  and 
later  held  a  command  in  the  Modoc  campaign.  He  died 
near  Nashville,  Tennessee,  December  2,  1875. 

GENERAL  JEFF  C.  DAVIS 
Jeff  C.  Davis  was  born  in  Clark  County,  Indiana,  March 
2,  1828.  His  ancestors  were  known  as  superior  fighters  in 
the  Indian  uprising  in  Kentucky.  When  the  Mexican  War 
broke  out  in  1848,  he  immediately  left  the  seminary  where 
he  was  a  student  and  enlisted  in  Colonel  Lane's  Indiana  reg- 
iment. On  June  17,  1848,  he  was  made  second  lieutenant 
of  the  First  Artillery  for  gallant  conduct  at  Buena  Vista. 
In  1852  he  became  first  lieutenant  and  was  placed  in  charge 
of  the  garrison  at  Fort  Sumpter  in  1858.  Shortly  after  the 
bombardment  in  April,  1861,  he  was  promoted  to  a  captain- 
cy and  allowed  a  leave  of  absence  to  raise  the  Twenty-sec- 
ond Indiana  Volunteers,  of  which  regiment  he  became  col- 

277 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

onel.  Subsequently,  he  commanded  brigades  under  Generals 
Fremont,  Hunter  and  Pope  for  single  service  at  Milf ord.  Mo. 
In  December,  1861,  he  was  made  brigadier  general  of  vol- 
unteers. He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge  and  the 
siege  of  Corinth,  and  after  the  evacuation  of  the  latter 
place  by  the  Confederates,  he  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of 
the  Tennessee.  It  was  about  this  period  that  he  had  some 
trouble  with  General  William  Nelson  in  regard  to  alleged 
harsh  treatments  received  at  the  latter's  hands.  The  two 
officers  chanced  to  meet  in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  Septem- 
ber 28,  1862 ;  a  quarrel  was  precipitated,  and  Davis,  unable 
to  control  himself,  shot  the  other  and  killed  him  instantly. 
He  was  arrested  only  to  be  released  in  a  short  time  and  was 
assigned  to  duty  in  Covington,  Kentucky.  In  the  engage- 
ment at  Stone  River  he  led  the  Twentieth  Army  Corps  with 
conspicuous  bravery  and  in  April,  1864,  he  commanded  the 
Fourteenth  Army  Corps  of  Sherman's  Army  in  the  march 
to  the  sea. 

He  received  the  brevette  of  major  general  in  1865  and 
was  promoted  colonel  of  the  Twenty-third  Infantry  July  23, 
1866.  Later  he  went  to  the  Pacific  Coast  and  Alaska  and 
after  the  murder  of  General  Canby  by  the  Modoc  Indians 
in  Northern  California  he  commanded  the  troops  and  fin- 
ally forced  Captain  Jack  and  his  men  to  surrender.  He 
died  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  November  30,  1879.  Was  colonel 
of  the  Twenty-third  Infantry  in  the  Modoc  campaign. 

GENERAL  J.  A.  HARDIE 
James  Allan  Hardie  was  born  in  New  York  County,  New 
York,  May  5,  1823.  Graduated  at  the  United  States  Mili- 
tary Academy  1843,  and  entered  the  artillery  service  when 
he  was  an  assistant  professor  of  geography,  history  and 
ethics,  and  served  as  company  officer  in  garrison  frontier 
and  Indian  service  until  1861.  During  the  Mexican  War 
he  commanded  a  New  York  regiment  of  volunteers,  with 
the  rank  of  major,  and  in  1857  he  was  appointed  captain  of 
the  Third  Artillery.  He  was  transferred  to  the  Fifth  Ar- 
tillery in  1861,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel  and  aide- 

278 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

de-camp,  and  served  on  General  McClellan's  staff  during  the 
Peninsula  and  Maryland  campaigns  and  on  that  of  General 
Burnside  in  the  battles  around  Fredericksburg. 

He  was  made  brigadier  general  of  volunteers,  November 
29,  1862,  assistant  adjutant  general,  1863,  assigned  special 
duty  in  the  War  Department  and  was  assistant  secretary  to 
Secretary  Ed.  M.  Stanton,  while  he  held  office. 

General  Hardie  was  appointed  Inspector  General  in  1864, 
and  in  1865  was  breveted  brigadier  and  major  general  in 
the  United  States  Army  for  his  service  during  the  war.  In 
1866  he  was  senior  member  of  the  Commission  to  inspect 
ordnance  and  ordnance  stores  in  forts  and  arsenals  and 
commissioned  to  audit  the  military  claims  of  Kansas,  Mon- 
tana, Dakota,  California  and  Oregon. 

He  edited  numerous  military  reports  and  was  one  of  the 
leading  commanders  in  the  Lava  Beds  during  the  Modoc 
War  of  1873. 

Died  in  Washington,  D.  C,  December  14,  1876. 


279 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


Yreka,  Siskiyou  County,  California,  July  30,  1873. 

To  THE  Honorable  C.  Delano, 

Secretary  of  State,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Sir:  Herewith  please  find  petition  in  matter  of  Modoc 
Indians.  It  is  a  matter  I  have  no  interest  in,  other  than  any 
other  citizen  of  our  country.  These  Indians  are  used  to 
take  care  of  themselves,  talk  our  language  and  understand 
all  kinds  of  farm  work.  They  ask  the  privilege  and  name 
Mr.  Burgess,  as  they  have  full  confidence  in  his  integrity 
towards  them.  He  can  use  them  to  advantage  and  will  pay 
them  wages  that  will  support  them  well.  As  to  the  other 
Indians,  Capt.  Jack  and  others,  whom  it  seems  fated,  must 
be  executed,  permit  me  to  ask  an  interference  to  the  extent 
of  working  a  delay  until  a  full  and  fair  investigation  of  the 
causes  of  the  war  be  had  as  they  are  very  important  wit- 
nesses. I  ask  this  as  Mr.  Odeneal  officially  and  through  the 
Oregon  papers,  has  persistently  attacked  my  character  and 
that  of  others,  including  our  district  judge,  Roseborough, 
and  we  are  anxious  that  the  whole  matter  be  ventilated  and 
the  truth  exposed. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

E.  Steele. 

To  THE  Honorable  C.  Delano, 

Secretary  of  State,  Washington,  D.  C. 

The  undersigned  citizens  of  Siskiyou  County,  California, 
would  respectfully  represent  that  the  Modoc  Indians  now 
held  as  prisoners  of  war  there  are  some  that  no  charges  are 
made  against  except  open  warfare  against  the  U.  S. ;  of 
with  Scarf  ace  Charley  and  Miller  Charley;  that  there  are 
others  who,  for  service  rendered  as  scouts  in  the  capture 
and  subjugation  of  the  tribe,  have  rendered  material  aid 
to  the  government,  and  earned  exemption  from  rigorous 
punishment,  of  which  are  Bogus  Charley,  Shaknasty  Jim, 
Hooker  Jim  and  Steamboat  Frank,  the  so-called  scouts.    We 

280 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

would  also  state  that  all  these  Indians  are  youthful  farm 
hands,  capable  and  fully  competent  intellectually  to  trade 
for  and  take  care  of  themselves ;  that  they  have  expressed 
a  desire  to  make  their  own  living  and  be  no  burden  to  the 
government;  that  they  be  allowed  to  seek  employment  for 
themselves  and  enter  the  service  of  John  C.  Burgess,  late 
Sheriff  of  Siskiyou  County,  California,  who  is  a  large  farm- 
er near  Yreka.  We  would  therefore  respectfully  ask  that 
they  be  permitted  to  enter  the  service  of  said  Burgess  on 
such  conditions  as  shall  be  deemed  advisable. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

E.  Steele, 

Wm.  H.  Morgan,  Sheriff, 

John  A.  Fairchild, 

H.  Wallace  Atwell,  alias 

*BiLL  Dad,  the  Scribe. 

To  THE  Honorable  C.  Delano, 

Secretary  of  the  Interior,  Washington,  D.  C, 
Headquarters  Lava  Beds. 

Dear  Sir:  The  Modoc  War  is  over.  The  Modoc  tribe, 
except  five  or  six,  are  captives.  Capt.  Jack  and  his  con- 
federates are  soon  to  be  tried  for  the  murder  of  General 
Canby  and  the  Peace  Commissioners.  There  can  be  but 
one  verdict  or  result,  viz. :  The  conviction  and  execution  of 
all  those  who  participated  in  the  murders  of  settlers  and 
Peace  Commissioners.  I  have  spent  several  days  in  the 
Lava  Beds  and  the  country  adjacent  thereto.  I  have  in- 
vestigated so  far  as  I  could  the  cause  of  the  war  between 
the  whites  and  the  Modoc  Indians  and  after  careful  inves- 
tigation, I  can  arrive  but  at  one  conclusion,  viz. :  That  the 
war  was  caused  by  the  wrongful  act  of  bad  white  men.  It 
is  charged  by  responsible  parties  here  that  the  Indians  were 
compelled  to  slaughter  their  horses  for  food  on  the  Klam- 
ath reservation  to  keep  from  starving,  and  when  they  had 

*Correspondent  N.  Y.  "Herald." 

281 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

no  more  horses  to  slaughter,  they  were  then  forced  by  hun- 
ger to  seek  their  fishing  grounds  on  Lost  River,  a  tract  of 
land  set  apart  by  the  Hon.  E.  Steele,  late  Superintendent  of 
Indian  Affairs  of  California.    The  land  is  valuable. 

Land  speculators  desired  it  and  thought  to  have  the  In- 
dians removed.  The  Indians  say  there  was  but  one  of  two 
deaths  left  to  them — by  starvation  or  by  a  speedier  death 
by  the  bullets  in  the  Lava  Beds.  They  chose  the  latter.  I 
am  in  favor  of  hanging  all  those  who  participated  in  the 
murder  of  the  Peace  Commisioners  or  the  settlers,  but  hu- 
manity and  justice  demands  an  investigation  of  the  war  and 
its  causes  from  the  first  inception. 

Let's  have  both  sides  of  the  question.  Let  us  have  the 
sworn  statements  of  the  Indians,  which  will  be  corroborated 
by  the  testimony  of  responsible  white  men.  If  you  have 
any  authority  to  order  it,  direct  that  the  testimony  of  all 
those  who  are  likely  to  be  convicted  and  executed  be  taken. 
I  regret  that  I  have  to  say  it,  but  I  believe  that  there  never 
was  a  time  since  the  organization  of  our  government  that 
there  was  so  much  corruption  and  swindling,  not  only  of 
the  government  and  people,  but  of  the  Indians,  as  it  is  today 
being  practiced  on  Indian  reservations  on  this  Coast. 

Mr.  Meacham  and  Mr.  Steele  managed  affairs  to  the  sat- 
isfaction of  the  people  and  the  Indians.  I  regret  that  they 
were  not  retained  as  Superintendents.  I  do  not  know  who 
is  to  blame,  nor  do  I  accuse  any  particular  agent  of  corrup- 
tion, but  we  do  know  that  wrongs  have  been  perpetrated 
and  before  launching  these  Indian  chiefs  into  eternity,  let 
their  testimony  be  taken,  that  the  guilty  parties  may  be 
found.  We  have  lost  many  valuable  officers  and  men  in 
this  contest.  Justice  demands  that  if  any  particular  indi- 
vidual or  individuals  are  guilty  of  inciting  the  Modocs  to 
war,  that  he  or  they  should  be  punished.  I  am  willing  if 
you  can  delegate  to  me  the  authority  to  aid  and  assist  in 
the  investigation  of  all  the  causes  and  charges  which  may 
or  can  be  brought  out  before  the  court-martial  or  board 
who  may  be  designated  to  try  the  prisoners  at  Fort  Klam- 
ath.   As  the  representative  of  the  people  immediately  con- 

282 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

cerned,  and  who  have  suffered  most  by  reason  of  the  war, 
I  feel  that  justice  demands  a  thorough  investigation.  If  I 
can  in  any  way  serve  the  government  and  people  in  aiding 
or  assisting  the  investigation,  command  my  services  by 
telegraph  at  Fort  Jones,  California. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

O.  K.  LUTTRELL, 

Member  of  Third  Congressional  Dist. 


The  executive  order,  dated  August  22,  1873,  approving 
the  sentence  of  death  of  certain  Modoc  Indian  prisoners  is 
hereby  modified  in  the  cases  of  Boncho,  alias  One-Eyed 
Jim,  and  of  Slolux,  and  the  sentences  in  the  said  cases  be 
commuted  to  imprisonment  for  life.  Alcatraz  Island,  Har- 
bor of  San  Francisco,  California,  is  designated  as  the  place 
of  confinement. 

U.  S.  Grant,  Pres. 

By  order  of  the  Sec.  of  War, 

E.  D.  Townsend,  Adj.  General. 


General  Court-Martial  Order,  No.  34,  War  Department, 
Adj.  General  Office,  Washington,  D.  C,  September  12,  1873. 
The  following  orders  of  the  President  will  be  carried  into 
effect  under  the  directions  of  the  Major  General,  command- 
ing the  Division  of  the  Pacific. 


Hon.  C.  Delano, 

Secretary  of  the  Interior,  Washington,  D.  C. 
The  foregoing  sentences  in  the  case  of  Capt.  Jack,  Schon- 
chin,  Black  Jim,  Boston  Charley,  Boncho,  alias  One-Eyed 
Jim,  and  Slolux,  Modoc  Indian  prisoners,  are  hereby  ap- 
proved and  it  is  ordered  that  the  sentences  in  the  said  cases 
be  carried  into  execution  by  the  proper  military  authorities. 
Under  the  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  on  the  third  day 
of  October,  1873. 

U.  S.  Grant,  Pres. 

283 


\ 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 


284 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 


REPORT  ON  CONDITION  OF  THE  MODOC  PRISONERS 

Board  of  Indian  Commissioners, 
Washington,  D.  C,  November  21,  ISIlf. 

Sir:  While  in  the  Indian  Territory  in  company  with  Col 
J.  W.  Smith,  special  commissioner  of  the  Indian  Depart- 
ment, in  September  last,  I  visited  the  portion  of  the  Modoc 
tribe  of  Indians  now  located  in  that  Territory,  and  found 
them  in  camp  near  the  Quapaw  agency  headquarters.  I 
learned  that  a  portion  of  the  Shawnee  reservation,  under 
that  agency,  had  been  obtained  by  purchase  for  the  per- 
manent home  of  these  Modocs.  The  Shawnees  declined  to 
sell  except  upon  condition  that  possession  was  not  to  be 
given  until  the  first  installment  of  the  purchase-money  had 
been  paid,  which  condition  not  having  been  complied  with, 
the  Modocs  were  still  at  the  agency.  Funds  for  that  pur- 
pose had,  however,  reached  the  superintendency,  and  it 
was  expected  the  Indians  would  enter  this  new  reesrvation 
during  the  succeeding  week. 

The  report  of  Special  Agent  Jones  and  of  every  one  about 
the  agency  as  to  the  conduct  of  these  people  was  very  en- 
couraging. No  difficulty  had  occurred  in  enforcing  the 
strictest  discipline.  The  agent  had  as  far  as  practicable 
furnished  them  employment  during  the  season,  and  had 
found  them  willing  and  energetic  in  the  discharge  of  every 
duty. 

One  instance  of  friction  had  occurred  in  the  persistence 
of  some  of  the  members  of  the  band  in  the  practice  of 
gambling,  resulting,  in  some  instances,  in  the  disposition  of 
blanket  and  of  every  other  article  of  clothing.  The  chief, 
Scar-Face  Charley,  declining  to  interpose  his  authority  for 
discontinuing  the  practice,  was  deposed,  and  Bogus  Charley 
appointed. 

Twenty-five  of  the  children  had  been  in  constant  attend- 
ance on  the  school  of  A.  C.  Tuttle,  in  care  of  the  Friends, 
twelve  or  fifteen  miles  distant,  and  had  made  unusual  pro- 

285 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

gress  in  the  acquisition  of  the  English  language  and  rudi- 
ments of  education.  Several  of  the  adults  remaining  at  the 
agency  had  also  learned  to  read  during  the  summer. 

In  a  formal  talk,  for  which  every  member  of  the  band, 
male  and  female,  assembled,  on  the  morning  of  the  23d  of 
September,  the  expression  of  satisfaction  in  their  present 
location  and  prospects,  and  of  their  determination  to  go  to 
work  immediately  on  their  new  reservation,  and  become 


Some  of  the  Modoc  prisoners'  children  attending  the  day  school  at  Qua- 
paw  Agency.  In  the  rear,  standing  to  the  left:  Bert  Hood,  living.  Alva 
Denny,  dead.  Willie  Stand,  Pawnee.  Sitting  down,  left  to  right:  Jim 
Kirk,  dead.  Stella  Hood,  living.  Francis  Denny,  dead.  Edith  Johnson, 
dead.  Hazel  Clinton,  dead.  In  the  front:  James  Rhodes  Charley,  son  of 
Scar  Face  Charley,  dead  at  the  age  of  15.  This  photo  taken  about  twenty 
years  ago. 

like  white  men  as  rapidly  as  possible,  was  hearty  and  unan- 
imous by  the  chiefs,  and  assented  to  by  the  entire  band. 

On  learning  of  my  intended  visit  to  Oregon,  and  that  I 
might  possibly  see  the  remaining  portion  of  the  tribe,  great 
solicitude  was  expressed  for  the  removal  of  their  Oregon 
brethren  to  this  Territory,  and  a  large  number  of  individual 
Indians  were  desirous  immediately  to  send  messages,  photo- 

286 


OF  THE  MODOC  WAR 

graphs,  and  fraternal  greeting  to  their  friends  in  the  West. 
It  was  impossible,  in  the  time  at  my  disposal,  to  visit  the 
Oregon  Modoes;  but  at  the  instance  of  the  Department  in 
Washington  I  made  inquiries  of  Agent  Dyar  and  others  in 
respect  to  their  present  condition  and  probable  assent  to 
removal,  if  deemed  advisable  by  the  government.    I  was  in- 


This  is  the  new  building  which  was  erected  about 
1875,  shortly  after  the  Modoes  were  brought  to 
Quapaw  as  prisoners.    It  is  still  used  by  the  Agent. 


formed  that  no  objection  would  probably  be  interposed  on 
their  part.  The  number  now  remaining  in  charge  of  Agent 
Dyar  at  Klamath,  men,  women  and  children,  is  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty.  The  country  in  which  they  are  located 
is  not  favorable  to  cultivation,  and  the  inclination  and  hab- 
its of  the  Indians  do  not  lead  them  to  engage  in  industrial 

287 


THE  INDIAN  HISTORY 

pursuits;  nor  are  they  likely  to  make  any  advancement  in 
civilization  under  their  present  conditions. 

The  cost  of  transportation  to  the  Quapaw  agency  in  the 
Indian  territory,  should  removal  be  determined  upon,  will 
not  be  far  from  $12,000,  nearly  all  of  which  would  be  ap- 
plicable to  railroads,  the  interest  of  whose  bonds  are  guar- 
anteed by  the  government,  and  under  existing  law  the  mon- 
ey would  not  actually  be  withdrawn  from  the  Treasury. 

I  respectfully  recommend  that  authority  be  given  by 
Congress  for  the  removal,  and  that  the  amount  named  be 
appropriated  for  the  purpose  of  transportation;  also  that 
the  additional  sum  of  $8,000,  or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be 
necessary,  be  appropriated  for  subsistence  and  defray  such 
incidental  expenses  as  may  be  incurred. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

F.  H.  Smith,  Indian  Commissioner. 

Hon.  C.  B.  Pisk^  Chairman  Indian  Committee. 


288 


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